5 Minutes With Artist Kate Florence

I am currently spending most of my time in my studio in Brunswick. I am taking this time as a opportunity to work freely and explore new areas of my practice that i previously didn't have the time to. Since isolation I have been having wild dreams most nights, so I am now exploring the depths of the unconscious mind through experimenting with colour, pattern and imagery I discover in my dreams. When I'm not in the studio i am usually studying my business course online at home, cooking or eating haha.

I am a big fan of podcasts, my faves are "How to Fail" with Elizabeth Day - "Under The Skin" with Russell Brand and "Happy Place" with Fearne Cotton. I'm currently reading "Playing to the Gallery" - by Grayson Perry - one of my favourite artists.

I am such a foodie, food is the number one priority for me, I'm useless without it! As the days have got colder I have been making heaps of hearty winter foods, soups, veggie shepherds pie, fresh pasta and a weekly roast dinner. I found I really missed proper roasts when I first moved here from England, so the only way to serve that craving is to cook one myself! 

I can't wait to see and hug all my friends, also cant wait to be able to go out for dinner!

I feel very privileged to be able to spend every day doing something I am so passionate about. Among many things, art is a therapy for me, it opens a window into the world and allows me to express things what i cannot be described with words. 

For past two years the majority of my inspiration has come from human forms and the relationships we form with ourselves and others around us. I studied a lot of psychology whilst at art school and i continue to read and explore the endless depths of the human mind, I find it SO fascinating! Through this research I have learnt a lot of things that I have been able to apply to my own life, to understand myself and other people better. As an artist, it's the physical process of making that drives me, I am very much a trial and error process, I learn through failing at something, then trying it again and again each time learning from the experience. I often create my best work when I don't apply any pressure to myself and just my hands freely explore the material. 

I start by drawing some rough ideas in a sketchbook to gather some ideas and to warm up my hand/eyes. Once I have gaged an idea of what I am thinking then I go straight in on the large scale piece. I have learnt not to overthink or over plan my drawings, as no two drawings can ever be the same. I find i lose the energy of the line when I am too concerned about what it's going to look like. I work first in pencil and try not to take my hand off the paper at all, then go in with black ink/crayon. I have one chance to get it right once I work with ink, you can't make changes to it. So if something goes wrong or I accidentally smudge something (which I often do) I have to start all over again! I take some time in choosing gradually which areas to build up, as its important to have thicker lines and darker areas with large scale works, otherwise the lines get lost.