Kate Smith

Listing 7 Works   |   Viewing 1 - 7
Kate Smith Lonely Heart
Lonely Heart
Pastel on paper
110 x 110 cm
SOLD
Kate Smith Be Told
Be Told
Pastel on paper
110 x 110 cm
SOLD
Kate Smith Ode to a Pearl
Ode to a Pearl
Pastel on paper
115 x 103 cm
SOLD
Kate Smith Rugosa Rose
Rugosa Rose
Pastel on paper
110 x 110 cm
SOLD
Kate Smith Sky of Night
Sky of Night
Pastel on paper
115 x 103 cm
SOLD
Kate Smith Speckled Fish
Speckled Fish
Pastel on paper
110 x 140 cm
SOLD
Kate Smith Tall Poppy
Tall Poppy
Pastel on paper
139 x 128 cm
SOLD

3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 120, Works per page

formatting

Kate Smith

Kate Smith

Kate Smith Description

Born 1947 in Manchester England and educated in England, New Zealand and South Africa, Kate has resided within Australia since 1979. Kate Smith found herself drawn to imagery at an early age. Her early background when leaving school was in fashion. Art came along in 1973 at the age of 27. Although not formally trained Kate has made a full time living from her art for 38 years. Exhibiting in New Zealand, Australia and internationally, she participates in many group and one-man shows.
Kate Smith is recognised as a most accomplished artist holding several one man shows a year. The images “create themselves”, coming from the artist’s own imagination and from somewhere deep within her spirit, expressing her understanding of life’s magnificence and sometimes indifference.

Admirers of her work marvel at the glorious colours she obtains from the use of pastel and mixed medium techniques. Blessed with a fertile imagination, feminine bodies are soaked in the deepest eroticism yet remain pure. Radiant silhouettes of enchanted magical beauty: a realm of the artist’s deepest fantasies portrayed in each painting. In the midst of all the sweet shades of light that embrace her women, there is a calmness and serenity in her works - seemingly realistic, but full of magical beauty. Mysterious, not verbose in their plot – colouristic and tasteful – they do not have high intellectual ambitions, the work simply makes us happy and joyful.

When asked about the origins of her works, Kate replies, “my works are a bridge between my dreams and the present. Each piece has an attitude, a subject who does not know she is being watched.” Kate does not use live models. “A model”, says Kate, “would catch my spirit by her presence and would compel me not to lose a single detail. Then my art would become merely a copy and so particularised. Therefore I seek to make visible in my paintings not the person as she is but what her feelings convey to me – graceful feminine figures, surrounded by mystery and intrigue and magical beauty.”

As well as her figurative works, Kate has also done a body of landscape work. In 1989, Boolarong publications of Queensland produced a book featuring a work from this period, although now out of print, the book titled ‘Alice and Beyond’ can be viewed in all State library collections.

Now in her 65th year she is comfortable with her style of art and it shows. Her popularity is stronger than ever. Kate has had many sell out exhibitions throughout her career and is undoubtedly one of the best pastel artists in Australia.

Winner of many art awards, Kate’s works can be viewed in several State Regional Galleries, Government Collections, State Library collections and many important Corporate Collections throughout Australia. She has been featured in Magazines such as Readers Digest, Queensland Homes, Victorian Homes, Belle, Art and Australia, Art Collector, Antique and Art, Noosa Style to name but a few.

 

Kate Smith Statement

"For the most part my work is a reflection of my own life experiences Interestingly my first choice  of  occupations, when I was sixteen was to  become either a hairdresser, florist, or makeup  consultant, all considered very unsuitable occupations  by my parents and   none  of which I became.  It could be said that my art is a reflection all of the occupational choices I believed would have suited me.  The theme of an over-abundance of hair has interested me for some time, applying pastel to a face on my work is in itself is like being a makeup artist, flowers feature in many of my art-works.  The subjects in my paintings aren’t based on live models they come from within my inner spirit and conscious.  In this exhibition doll-like faces imbuing dreamlike qualities of a child’s imagination have taken wing. By using a unique mix of pastel, complimented by a shimmering aura of lustre mica to my work the  enigmatic look of my subjects are arresting, the poses, glances and controlled gestures engaging...  If I had to describe this exhibition in one word it will be “dreamy”.

- Kate Smith, 2017.

Kate Smith Resumé

Corporate Collections
Auckland City Library Collection
Adelaide State Library Collection
New Zealand Embassy Bahrain
Qantas Australia
Auckland Public Library
Moreton Shire Council Qld
Hall and Chadwick Qld
Lend Lease Australia
BHP Australia
RM Williams
Stockman’s Hall of Fame Longreach Qld
Robin Gibson Architects Qld
Power Brewing Power Group Qld
Media Five Architects Qld
Arthur Anderson Australia
Allied Coalfields Queensland
Caloundra Shire Council Qld
Marina Mirage Queensland Gold Coast
Miles Fletcher and Cross Qld
Golder and Associates Qld
State Government Insurance Qld
Wesley Hospital Queensland
Jones Lang Wooton
Marist College Brisbane
John Paul College Brisbane
Burke Hall Melbourne
Grand Mariner Resort Gold Coast
Calralburn Valley Resort Qld
Australia Wide Property Trust
Beenleigh City Council Qld
Sunshine News Papers Qld
Noosa City Council
Utah Mining USA
Ponsolanic USA
Buxton Property development Vic
Adelaide State Library Collection
National Gallery Print Collection

Publications
Readers Digest cover work 1989
Readers Digest cover work 1990
Outrider Vol 1 Feature cover work article Kate Smith 1989
Outrider Vol 2 Article Poetry by Kate Smith Cover work 1990
Alice and Beyond Book Boolarong publication Kate Smith 1989 (the artist own book)
Art in Australia Winter Issue 1989
Victorian Homes Article Kate Australia 1989
Art and Australia Summer edition 2001
Antique and Art 2001
Antique and Art 2002
Art and Australia 2002
Art Collector 2002
Life styles 2002
Good life magazine 2003
Australian Art Review 2003
Australian Art Collector 2003
Australian Art Collector 2003
Australian Art Collector 2004
Australian Art Collector 2004
Australian Art Review 2004
Australian Art Collector 2005
Noosa Style 2005
Lifestyle 2005
Antique And Art 2005
Art Collector 2006 Summer
Art Collector 2006 Spring
Art Collector Winter 2006
Life Style 2006
Noosa Style Cover and interview 2007
Art Collector June 2007
Antique and Art 2008
Art Collector 2008
Noosa Style 2008
Australian Art Collector 2009
Noosa Style 2010
Lifestyle magazine 2010

 

Top of Page