MEET THE MEMBER – Kate McGonigle
When did you start painting?
I have always loved drawing and leaned towards creativity from a young age, whether it was visual arts or theatre it was always a part of my life. I studied applied Art, Theatre and English Literature at A-Level in Cambridge and then moved to the USA to obtain my BFA in Theatre from The Juilliard School. Whilst I drew some illustrations for the University newspaper, the rigorous training program left little time for me to explore other art forms and it wasn’t until I returned to the UK that I began to practice painting with watercolours.
What led you to start painting again?
I have only started using watercolours fairly recently. I had put off using paints for a long time as my natural affinity was towards drawing, but after a two-day crash course at the kitchen table with my mum (who is a botanical illustrator & fellow SEAW member) I began to explore painting with watercolour and immediately fell in love with the medium. I love the natural flow and movement of watercolour paint as it allows lots of room for improvisation.
What subject matter do you like to paint?
I have always had a curiosity about the natural world and am forever drawn to small, shiny things. I spent a lot of time as a child picking up snails and collecting rocks and shells, and I think this fascination carries over into the pieces I create now. I like to paint a variety of subject matter, with a focus on exploring the tiny details found in nature. I have recently finished painting a series of jewel-toned sea creatures.
Do you have a preference for a painting style? If so, can you describe it?
I would say that my style of painting is playful, colourful and explorative. I like to achieve a sense of realism within my pieces, but my work is far from realistic. I am drawn towards vibrant, saturated colours and I think this adds a touch of whimsy to my paintings.
Which artists inspire you and why?
A lot of my work has a more illustrative style which stems from my love of drawing, and I am inspired by the free, expressive line work of great illustrators like Quentin Blake and Ronald Searle as well as contemporary illustrators such as Katie Scott, who creates colourful, modern takes on traditional technical drawings.
I have always been drawn to the graphic style of Japanese printmakers such as Hokusai and Hiroshige. Their work is poetic in its simplicity, which is something that I’m always looking to achieve in my pieces.
I am also continually inspired by my mother’s botanical paintings. She has an incredible ability to capture the minutiae of her subjects, and her work is beautifully intricate and balanced.
What galleries do you like to visit?
Whilst in New York I was fortunate to be able to visit The MOMA and The Met on my days off which was a huge privilege. I also got a chance to see the Thorne Miniature Rooms at The Art institute of Chicago which was one of the most memorable exhibitions I’ve seen. It’s 68 Miniature rooms that have been painstakingly decorated to capture a moment in history and are charmingly accurate and tiny. The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge will always be my favourite place to visit. Most recently I visited ‘Hockney’s Eye: The Art and Technology of Depiction’ and I came away very inspired by the bold use of light and colour in Hockney’s most recent digital works.
What is your favourite colour to paint with?
DR Ph Martins Concentrated Watercolours and Inks are my favourite to work with. I love the saturation and depth of colour that they create on paper. I have a particular obsession with the Mahogany colour because it dries slightly blue when painted thinly, which always adds a nice surprise. I tend to use vibrant jewel-tones in my pieces, and I love using any paint that changes colour when it dries – it feels like watching magic.
Do you have any artistic successes or achievements that you would like to share with readers?
I am very proud to be an associate member of the SEAW, and a member of the Cambridge Drawing Society. My work has been featured in Artists & Illustrators online gallery and I was selected by the founder of BEARSPACE gallery in London to be a part of their ‘Celebrating Emerging Artists’ feature on Artfinder.com. Most recently I have had a painting published titled ‘Pickles’ in the Society of All Artist’s Paint and Create magazine as part of their summer feature ‘Festivals and Fetes.’
What is the best piece of advice you were ever given about art?
An acting teacher once told me ‘Don’t make it right, make it true.’ I think this is a beautiful piece of advice which translates across all art forms. The idea of letting go of what seems to be the ‘correct’ way to portray a subject and instead finding an honest way to explore it. A different professor also told me that I held my pen too tightly – advice that at the time seemed irrelevant to my theatre degree, but now holding a paint brush ten years later I finally understand.
More Kate
Website: www.katemacart.com
Instagram: @katemacaroni
Other art societies : CDS, SAA