Kate Philbin United Kingdom

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Drawing for me is an act of understanding, love and acceptance. My work incorporates representation of internal states through gestures and mark making. My degree in psychology and my former career in social care and health are influences and I am interested in learning and developing a practice and methodology that can provide emotional and physical as well as cultural enrichment.

Since moving to Snowdonia in 2019 from the North of England and especially through the periods of lockdown I have developed a practice of walking and drawing. This allows me a great sense of connection with the environment. The materials are basic, simple and accessible (charcoal and graphite). There’s an immediacy of response that doesn’t seem to occur with a seated drawing. I aim to capture the emotion and physical feeling of walking alongside environmental influences from the weather, the drawings being transported and the materials being handled.

The cornerstone of the method is selection; a mix of choosing and noticing. Capturing a feeling and not a picture of a landscape in the usual way. Drawing is a physical act. The rhythm of heart, breath, feet are transferred to the surface.

I am interested in using augmented reality to situate fine art within the environment in a way that is accessible and participatory, even containing incentivising elements.

I currently work as a freelance tutor, mainly specialising in textiles, however I’m currently studying on an MA in Illustration, expanding my opportunities to engage with learner and community groups through drawing and painting.