Kate Boxer is an artist and printmaker. She lives on a small farm in West Sussex with her family and many animals. Her studio is in one of the outbuildings.
Kate Boxer
Artist
Kate's subjects are most often people or creatures. At first sight, vivid colours, spare composition and our immediate understanding can make her work appear straightforward, however, the nuances Kate captures are extraordinary.
Her portraits of people show us all we know and more. 'Looking at [her] portrait of [Rainer Werner Fassbinder] you can believe that every man gets the face he deserves. His character is there, with its sensuality, neediness, quest for oblivion, intelligence and hurt.' (David Flusfeder)
Kate's animal portraits capture the same force of spirit. Her positioning of her subjects on the paper accentuates their characteristics: the Blue Wolf fills and guards the space, wild and protective; a page cannot fully contain Backy's excitement or tail; and the calm and meditative Donkey has space to quietly think.
Kate has an interesting and diverse cast. There is intensity and energy in every portrait, and all, from sandhoppers to Proust, are drawn with the same deep respect. When Kate has a subject in mind she studies their movement and drive, trying to see how things look through their eyes and how it feels to be in their skin. They fill her thoughts and sometimes appear in her dreams.
Kate is as remarkable as her subjects, and I have no doubt each one would relish her company.
If you can Kate, a self‑portrait would be great.
