Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Couch.
Kate, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Art has always been a part of my life. Creating at a very young age was something I did on the regular. Whether it was building my own doll house and its furniture or making sure that my Barbies had DIY books, magazines, and home decor, I was always making messes. By the time I was in middle school and high school, I had had the opportunity to take several art classes and knew that the only thing I wanted to do was to make art for a living. Knowing this made my college experience much easier because I went straight into Lamar Dodd College of Art at the University of Georgia and figured out what area of art I wanted to major in. I landed on Art Education and got my credential with the idea to teach but also to pursue my own art career on the side. Upon graduation, I moved to San Francisco, California and quickly found out that there were no art teaching jobs available. Maybe that was a good thing? It was like being shoved into the deep end of the creative world! I was a mural painter, a high-end interior faux finisher, and a set painter for a local children’s theater company. I even worked on a set for an off-broadway play which was an experience itself. I tried a lot of new things but made very little money in the process. But, now I can see all the fruits of this experimenting play out in my work today!
Becoming pregnant and a mother to two amazing girls put a kink in these plans because going up ladders and dealing with toxic paints, glazes, etc. wasn’t feasible. I ended being a Peet’s Coffee Bean girl and found more new ways to stay creative. I bought myself a sewing machine and taught myself how to sew. Fabric was everywhere in our small two bedroom apartment. Needles were stepped on and thread was tangled around chair legs and shoes. Cooking and baking became a creative outlet as well. Salads became my favorite “dish” to experiment with because of all the colors and textures. By the time I was done, the salad was more of a composition then just a meal…whether it tasted good or not! As my girls got older, I was able to aquire a few art teaching gigs, and did that for a long time because it fit into their busy schedules. Fast forward to six years ago.. I was at a point in my life when I decided that I was burnt out on teaching and wanted to pursue making art as my full-time job. I had a lot of catching up to do since I was 43 at the time! So in the beginning, I spent a lot of time figuring out what I wanted to do. Watercolor and surface design became my passion. If you take a look at my Instagram (@kate.couch), you will be able to follow the progression…and it is really fun to see. At first, I painted on the kitchen table and the messes resumed like old times. Then, my studio moved out to the garage. I feel like the more space I accumulated, the more I got to grow as an artist. When my studio/garage became a catch-all while doing some home rennovations, I joined a pottery studio and found a new love in ceramics. For the last three years, I have been able to translate my watercolor designs onto pottery and it has been incredibly fun and rewarding. It’s taken me six years to know what I like to make but it’s all because I have always had to learn new things, pivot, and just “go with the flow”. I took to ceramics really quickly and at first I was surprised, but I think its because of the all the years creating…it just translated. I call it my hidden creative rolodex…and I’m so grateful for it! I am fortunate to be a part of Southern Star Studios in Athens and to be around other amazing artists and potters. It is a very special place with special people. With a lot of experimentation this last year, I have found that I enjoy working on large forms using bold colors and sgraffito as my technique. Most recently, I am making one-of-a-kind lamps, and I am in love!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think starting so late in the game, pursuing a full-time art career has made it easier because I just had to go for it. I am fortunate that I have been able to have some time within these six years to be able to figure out what I like to do. I let myself experiment. However, with that comes the challenge of finding my voice. I have a lot of artwork that I look back at and think “Yeah, I can do this but do I like doing it? Is this who I am, what I am about?” Those first three or four years were about experimentation and now I am in a place where I’m fine-tuning who I am as an artist and I am really enjoying the process.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I am most known for my watercolor Tree of Life paintings and my hand-carved functional pottery. When working on my ceramic forms, I use a technique called sgraffito which is the “scraping away” of glaze. My work is detailed with a lot of positive and negative space and it is more graphic in nature because of the contrast between the white clay and bold colors. I love including Otomi imagery as well as a mixture of flora and fauna. I also like making sure my imagery wraps around the entire form, almost like it is a piece of tapestry. A lot of people question why I would carve the underside parts of my forms or parts that are not easily seen, but it is because I like how the entire thing is filled with detail and texture – both visible and physical! It is a lot of work and takes a lot of time, but I love it. I am excited to say that my pieces are for sale at Swan Coach House Gallery in Buckhead, GA and at Southern Star Gallery in Athens, GA. My watercolor Tree of Life paintings are sold through The Campbell Collective out of Greenville, SC and I am working on my lamps with a few interior designers in Athens, Atlanta and Palm Beach, FL.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
As an artist, winning the “My Mom’s Smile” Award in 3rd Grade was my favorite childhood memory. I wouldn’t say that it was my best drawing but the smile itself made me proud. I remember having to get dressed up to receive the award and I felt very grown up and important.
Pricing:
- Lamps – fully wired with lamp shade range from $650 to $1100
- Large Platters and Bowls – range from $150 to $275
- Tree of Life Paintings – range from $325 to $500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katecouchart.com
- Instagram: @kate.couch
- Facebook: @CouchArt
Image Credits
*photo of red platter (close up with rabbit) – taken by Swan House Gallery *photo of Ode to Georgia (with deer, turtle, heron, and alligator – indigo paint) – taken by James Tomlin Photography *all other photos taken by Kate Couch
