KATIE CROFT: @KATIECROFTART

 

 

Katie Croft

@katiecroftart

 

Katie Croft is one of those artists that makes your jaw drop. It has been a dream for a while now to collect one of her trim-fold ceramic pieces, and you can understand why! I loved doing this short isolation interview with Katie just the other day!

  • Katie, we know people just love your pieces, from ceramics to all other medium. What would you like your work to say to the viewer?

     

    I want my work to speak of female relationships. Relationships between mothers and daughters are often my focus but ultimately I want the work to communicate at least a portion of the complex relationship women have with the self and ones own body and mind and will and spirit


    I love that focus on women’s relationships and Mothers and Daughters - how powerful. Tell us about your colour palette and how that works for you?


    I think I’m overwhelmed by colour choices and I tend to go crazy and make some wild art that doesn’t work! So I give myself monochromatic limits to work within. Also my first love is black and white photography and that simple clean aesthetic moves me deeply still.


    You work in so many mediums… how were you trained?


    I was a studio major in undergrad with a focus on photography. Then I fell in love with fabrics and ended up taking a lot of fiber arts classes with the brilliant professor Mary Ruth Smith. Once I graduated I opened a community art gallery and had friends and colleagues teaching workshops there that I participated in. So I got a lot of diverse materials instruction. In grad school I did painting and drawing then switched to clay once I realised how much fun it was to play in the mud. I love learning new things and I think switching between materials gives me a chance to do that and keeps me from getting bored. But I always return to photography. It’s my first love and I always utilise it when I’m preparing new designs and ideas.

     
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  • "I want my work to speak of female relationships."

    And just where do you get your inspiration? I've not seen anything like your work before?


    Everything is inspiration. Books, movies, art, stories, history, politics, people, places, nature, conversations. It's hard to decide what to paint or draw or sculpt next because there is so much in my head. I get stuck in the process of deciding sometimes!

     

    WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE HISTORICAL FEMALE ARTIST KATIE?


    I like Anne Lamott. And I think she said sit your butt in the seat and write. I think it's the same. Sit your butt in the seat and paint, or draw, or sculpt. I think you have to work really hard and take chances to find your way in art.


    And finally, WHO is your favourite female artist working at the moment?


    Ohhh good question. So many great women artists working today. I'm really in love with the work of Alonsa Guevara. Her work is colorful and beautiful and deeply personal and powerful.