Artwork by Kate Hurst
About Kate Hurst
Born in autumn 1984, I have lived in Lancashire, in the north west of England for most of my life, and have been interested in various aspects of art and design since I was at school. After opting for Art at GCSE and A Level, I studied for a BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, before graduating from De Montfort University, Leicester with a B.A. (Hons.) in Graphic Design and Photography. The Fletcher Building where I was based has now been demolished . . .
My first solo public exhibition, Natural World, was hosted by Brabin's Gallery in Chipping, Lancashire, throughout September 2009. It combined forty-eight photographs showcasing places I had visited and natural features that interested me with a selection of textile-based items.
In 2010, I returned to working in acrylic paint, using my own photographs for inspiration, and in recent years have taken on a number of commissions for paintings which have been given as presents. In one notable instance, a photograph from the Natural World exhibition inspired a painting of St. Mary the Virgin's Church, in Bottesford, Leicestershire.
A year later I created my Facebook page Artwork by Kate Hurst which is updated whenever I have a chance to work on a new piece, and also serves as a kind of journal of experimental sketches and other work.
In February and March 2014 my exhibition, Colour In West Lancashire, ran for three weeks at Ormskirk Library, in the middle of the Lancashire market town where many of my ancestors lived, married and were buried. The event featured a selection of my acrylic work, and caught the attention of many visitors to the local library. It was mentioned both in the Local Life magazine, and on the town's news website, Ormskirk GB.
A year later, I returned to the same venue for a second showcase, featuring a collection of new acrylic work and ink drawings. The 2015 exhibition was given the (not very imaginative) title, New Shades Of West Lancashire.
In 2019, my landscape painting The Road To Twiston was selected for the Ribble
Valley Open Exhibition in the Steward's Gallery at Clitheroe Castle Museum, and
was on display for about ten weeks. Although it didn't sell, that event was a bit
of a milestone for me, as it was the first time I'd exhibited my work in my home
town.
These days, I still love to paint when the opportunity arises, and I have a keen
interest in colour, landscapes and anything historical. The COVID-19 lockdowns
have also brought some unexpected chances to return to my paints, and even
led me to create a YouTube channel. Although I call myself a family history
researcher before anything else now, I have branched out to make some art
themed videos, which you may like to browse . . .
Painting Scarisbrick Hall - A Video Diary - 2 February 2021
Art Exhibition In The Lounge - 26 June 2020
