Kate McCarthy is a Brisbane born artist, currently residing in Binalong Bay, Tasmania with her young family. Having completed units from three different degrees, including Bachelor in Fine Art Illustration, Queensland College of Art, Bachelor in Digital Art, 1995 Victoria University and Bachelor in Contemporary Art, Curtin University, Kate has always worked loosely in art and design.  In 2004 she opened McCarthyism Contemporary Artspace, Sheffield, Tasmania, working with other artists and supporting residencies, including sound artist Ian Kitney, film maker Stefan Popescu and performance artist Casionova. Since the birth of Kate’s second son, she has focussed on producing her own art; 2011 saw her overseas debut in an Italian group show, a feature in The Age Sunday Magazine and her participation in the Sydney Fringe Festival. Kate is represented by 19 KAREN Contemporary Artspace.

 

 

A Loaf of Bread, a Stick of Butter and a Container of Milk - I have to work fast and I stick to the principles we had with our art when we were children; immediate, simple and direct. When we needed red, we reached for the closest red we could find and that then determined the feel and look for the rest of the piece. I have a palette that is chosen by eye from the colours used in the 70s series of Sesame Street as affected by the 16mm film and TV screen. The whites are the grey shades from Bert and Ernie's apartment, the reds are classic stop sign red. I use repetitive pattern and references to shapes that trigger emotion in the audience only by default - what connects all of us comes from TV shows, books and characters from infancy and childhood, and I believe by incorporating these suggestive elements into my work I can transport the viewer back to childhood.