Smith, Kate

Each of Kate Smith’s paintings has a story to tell – it is for you to find your own story

An accomplished artist enjoying successful shows Australia wide, Kate’s paintings are continaully on show at Seaview Gallery.
Her decadent pastels have captured the imagination of art collectors for decades with their signature theme of stylish woman set against backdrops of luscious colour. Kate’s muses are infused with humour and intrigue with witty titles, such as Here’s to you Mrs Robinson, a must see painting for all those with the name Robinson. These works are provocative, funny and celebrate the human ability to have a good time. Kate says the women she paints are rarely from live models, preferring instead to draw upon her inner consciousness.

Although not formally trained, for the last 35 years Kate has made a full time career from her art. Admirers of her Pastels marvel at their glorious texture and vibrant colours which she creates using experimental techniques. Her pastels are either blatantly provocative or sultry and sophisticated, in either bold or subdued palettes. Colour is a strong influence in her life. She tells the story of when her children would come home from school to find she had whipped off their bedspreads dyed them whatever colour she was painting at the time and painted the walls to match. These days, things are just the opposite, now in her 60th year, she has settled for her signature reds in the home and as for her personal clothes, she now finds herself continually wearing black. Kate jokingly says with so much colour in her art there is none left over for herself.

While Kate presents exhibitions Australia wide as well as overseas, like most artist she has worked hard for her success. She fondly remembers the days, when she and her husband would park the car under many a corporate building on St Kilda Road, with no money to retrieve it until they had gone door to door and sold her paintings. Asked about her fascination for woman Kay says, ‘Well since my studio is the Girls lavatory of an old converted school, what else would I see” .