Kate Mary is a Scottish artist whose practice centres on detailed, idealised representations of places, collaged together to form immersive and calming visions of escapism. Her work is deeply influenced by memories of local and far-flung journeys, exploring the architecture, light, and patterns within them. Through her paintings and drawings, Kate captures moments of intrigue in the built environment, creating intimate and otherworldly scenes.
Graduating with a First-Class Honours Degree in Interior Design from Glasgow School of Art in 2019, Kate has since exhibited widely in the UK and internationally, with shows in London, New York, Seoul, Paris, Los Angeles, and Glasgow. Her work has been featured in The Sunday Times, Homes & Gardens, Baptista Magazine, Floristry Magazine, and Reclaim Magazine. She was long-listed for the Jackson’s Painting Prize in both 2023 and 2024 and was awarded the James Brough Memorial Award in 2019. Kate has also undertaken prestigious residencies, including the Delphian Gallery Open Call Residency and Print Club London’s Screen Printing Programme.
Travel is a significant source of inspiration in Kate’s work, with her paintings seeking to evoke the sensory experiences of different places through colour, pattern, texture, and mark-making. Alongside her international influences, Scotland remains a key theme, with works depicting her studio, home, and the vast landscapes of the Highlands. Her still-life pieces are deeply personal, often composed of meaningful objects from her studio or flowers gifted at exhibition openings.
Kate’s recent series reflects her experiences in Portugal, Marrakech, and Giverny, capturing the distinctive atmospheres of these locations. Her Interior Patterns Portugal works, for example, explore the contrast between dark, sophisticated wooden interiors and the bold, sunlit gardens beyond. Meanwhile, her Marrakech-inspired paintings distil the vibrant textures, colours, and motifs of the city, from its intricate architecture to the freshly squeezed pomegranates on the streets. Her Giverny series, inspired by a visit to Claude Monet’s home, focuses on the interplay of colour, nature, and the beauty glimpsed through patterned curtains and windows.
Kate Mary’s evocative and intricate compositions offer viewers a window into her world—one shaped by travel, memory, and a keen eye for the beauty in everyday surroundings.
Kate Mary is a Scottish artist whose practice centres on detailed, idealised representations of places, collaged together to form immersive and calming visions of escapism. Her work is deeply influenced by memories of local and far-flung journeys, exploring the architecture, light, and patterns within them. Through her paintings and drawings, Kate captures moments of intrigue i... Read Full Bio
