About the Artist

Kate paints with pastels from her home studio and out on location, on the beautiful island of Corfu in Greece.

She also owns Corfu in Colour ,a business that runs art retreats on the island, where she loves introducing fellow artists to all her secret painting spots.

Originally from Cape Town South Africa, Kate had a successful career as a textile designer and a fashion buyer before starting her own business, Medblue Ceramics, selling hand painted tiles, tile panels and ceramics from her shop in High Constantia Cape Town.

Having always drawn and painted she discovered pastels later in life, and fell in love with the immediacy of the medium.

She is a member of The Pastel Society of America, and has had paintings juried into several International Pastel Exhibitions. Kate was selected as the jury’s favourite 15% in the monthly International Bold Brush Painting competition for the months of February, March and June respectively, where she also won an honourable mention and a cash award. Two of Kate’s paintings were finalists in the Vuleka competition, where she also won a merit award. Her work has sold to South African and international clients and she has done many bespoke commissions.

Kate is absolutely passionate about the ocean, and believes in the old Greek saying, “every swim in the sea, adds a year to your life."

Artist Statement

I am inspired and in awe of the incredible beauty that surrounds me in nature, whether I'm walking my dog on a deserted beach at sunrise or hiking in the olive groves behind our house. Being a Pisces and having grown up by the beach, swimming, surfing and windsurfing in the ocean, the sea is often my muse. I am fascinated by its power and energy and ever changing moods. It is a constant in my life, which I could not live without.

I use pastel, a medium I love for its tactile nature. I love holding the stick of pure hand-rolled pigment and painting with it, smudging with my fingers as I go, and getting my hands covered in vibrant pastel dust. I never use fixative on the finished work as it deadens the colour, and behind glass the pastel is as archival and will last as long as an oil painting. I work on location, sketching and recording the colours as often as I can, photographs taken on site also form an important reference for work in the studio. My goal is to capture the light and to this end, I have been absolutely inspired by the work of the Spanish painter Sorolla, who was known as the “Master of Sunlight.”

Painting for me is a compulsion, a meditation of the soul and something I have to do every day. Shakespeare said “The earth has music for those who listen" and in my paintings I strive to capture the essence of the scene, not in a photographic way, but so the viewer can taste the salt on their lips, feel the wind in their hair, and pause a moment in the sunlight.

Collector Reviews

WOW- the painting is even better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you so much! I really love it!

Alice Schneiderman

The paintings arrived this evening! I am so surprised—-they are even more gorgeous in “real life.” I am so thrilled and honored to have them. Thank you!

Vonise Guadagno

Your framed picture arrived this morning, intact and magnificent! The Wave and Walking through the Grasses are also here and I absolutely love them. Can’t wait to frame them.

Glynnis Nassif

Just wanted to say that I received the painting and absolutely love it.  Thank you so much

Nicky XX

I have received the painting Its amazing! Even better in real life.I can't wait to have it framed.

Jenny Henning

I received the painting yesterday morning and it was in perfect condition!

 It is absolutely stunning and a picture doesn’t do it justice!  The colours are just amazing 😊

Joleen Matthee