Kate Church is a Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia-based artist who is globally recognized and widely respected for her sculptural puppetry and growing body of work in multimedia ceramics.
Kate grew up in Thornhill, Ontario. She always knew she would pursue a life in the arts. After graduating in 1978 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the influential Rhode Island School of Design, Kate returned to Toronto to apply her multimedia studies working as an Artist in Residence at Harbourfront Centre producing hand painted and batik quilts, and silk paintings.
In search of a supporting arts community, lower living costs, and a healthier lifestyle, Kate moved to Nova Scotia thirty years ago. Arising from her costume design work with Mermaid Theatre in Windsor, Nova Scotia and the shyness of her youth, Kate began constructing “funny people” to be employed by actors in live productions. From there, Kate’s world took shape.
An artist of great delicacy and detail, Kate works by mirroring the varied experiences of life in her offbeat quirky method of recognition. The figures she builds somehow defy conventional interpretation combining the line and form of sculpture with the playful anima of puppetry. This arresting effect is achieved through the marriage of polymer clay, wire armature, and fiber construction.
Built using a process that is movable throughout its construction, a tangible sense of “emerging” comes naturally to the finished sculpture. Most of the figures can be altered and adjusted; and movement is part of the design. It is an inventive process that is both delicate and strong.
In recent years Kate has become increasingly focused on multimedia ceramics heavily influenced by the culture, teachings and materials found in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico – her home away from home.
This earthen pottery represents a notable departure from her sculptural figures. These pieces are created during Kate’s extended winter stays in Mexico where she actively makes time to explore, play and push herself in new directions under cover of delightful anonymity.
Kate’s favorite charities include:
- Symphony Nova Scotia
- Nova Scotia Nature Trust
- Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia
- Mahone Islands Conservation Association
