Kate Osborne studied textile design in England, and then worked as a floral designer in two different textile studios. In 1979, she moved to Los Angeles to do production-ready artwork for several manufacturers, followed by spending a year in New Mexico to paint wildlife and botanical subjects. When she returned home to London, she began doing illustration for books, magazines and advertising.
Today, Kate combines all of her experiences with her love of flowers and nature to create free-flowing watercolors with minimal composition drawing, which gives her paintings an unrestricted quality.
Artist Statement:
'I studied textile design at Northbrook College in Worthing from 1972 to 1976 and, following this, worked for two London textile studios as a floral designer. In 1979 I went to live in Los Angeles where I freelanced, doing production ready artwork for various manufacturers. I then spent a year in New Mexico, living in a shack in an old coalmining town, painting wildlife and botanical subjects, and selling through a gallery in Santa Fe. I returned home in 1984, and began doing illustration for books, magazines and advertising, as well as textile design. Recent clients have included Sainsbury's, London Transport and Mitchell Beazley.
In the last few years, since having a family, I have returned to painting and have been exhibiting in our open house during Brighton's Arts Festival; at the Hunter Gallery in Suffolk, and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour at the Mall Galleries London.
I now work very freely in watercolour, with the minimum of compositional drawing; this gives the paintings an unpremeditated look, which attempts to express the beautiful but transitory nature of the subject matter- fruit, flowers and vegetables.'
– Kate Osbourne 2008
