McKennan, Kate

Biography

Kate studied Fine Art at Manchester College of Art and Design gaining a BA Hons in Fine Art in 1972 and a First Class Hons post graduate certificate of education in 1974. Afterwards she took a MA degree in Psychology specialising in the education of dyslexic students.  She taught at a boarding school for dyslexic students in Brighton and A level Art at South Cheshire College of F.E. Later she became Assistant Director at Llanover Hall youth arts centre, Cardiff.

Kate has continued to paint, exhibit and take up artists’ residencies and now work from her studio outside Nantwich.  She has exhibited and undertaken commissions in painting, prints, drawings, environmental sculpture, and 3-D constructions. She has also had work accepted for the RA Summer Show, the ICA, the Mall Galleries, the Menier Gallery and the Wells open and commercial galleries in London, New York and Italy.

Statement

‘Geometry, rhythmic movement and colour dominate and form my paintings.  I am increasingly concerned about the negative changes in our environment but have always been inspired by natural form.  My work is intense in detail, pattern and colour, a riot of movement.  Escher, Bonnard and Matisse are heroes.’

‘While I work mainly in watercolour I now find combining mixed media important including the use of found materials.  Over the last five years and continuing, I have further developed my image making through the medium of print at the Wrexham print centre and produced a set of landscapes in oil of our two and a half acre garden.’