Biography
Kate Richardson
Part-time Occupational Therapist, mother of two and self-taught artist living in Cornwall.
Painting to me is cathartic, meditative, explorative and exhilarating . I don’t have to be in particular mood to paint – although sometimes I’m able to procrastinate all day – but my most successful pieces are borne from angst or elation.
I find painting exciting. When a know I have created something good, it is like receiving a treasured gift. I wake up in the morning and look forward to seeing it again. Passing the gift on is equally rewarding , knowing that a small part of me will be admired, criticised or analysed in other people’s homes across the world for far longer than I will be around.
My favourite tool for large canvasses is a 2” soft blender brush, trimmed to ¾ “ length, which allows me to apply and blend large amounts of paint quickly and freely. For smaller work I use a painting knife to build up thick layers of oil paint made buttery with refined linseed oil.
People have often commented that they see emotion in my work which I take as a great compliment. Personally, if don’t see some sort of sentiment or personality in a painting – if it has ‘no soul’ then I walk on.
Influenced by my surroundings in Penwith, I am currently working on two projects – a series of wind-slanted hedgerow trees and another on St Michaels Mount, using 24kt gold leaf covered board, with texture added before applying oil paint and revealing the gold in scrapes or swirls.
Blow. Oil on canvas with painting knife, approx 40cm x 40cm.
