Kate Samworth
Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, 1967.
Artist in Residence 2023.
Kate Samworth depicts the fear and wonder of the natural world in her highly detailed drawings of imaginary places. She explores the spiritual questions raised by observing nature and addresses the existential anxieties expressed in folklore and fairy tales. Her background in printmaking and illustration are evident in her scratchboard engravings, in which each mark is made with precision.
Samworth grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, and was part of a politically active community of artists and musicians. Her work has responded to environmental subjects for decades, evolving to reflect new experiences, like volunteering on organic farms in Turkey and Spain and working as a translator for a hiking guide in Brazil.
I create images in response to witnessing rapid, environmental changes and explore real and imaginary relationships between humans and nature. I am influenced by the often ominous tone of folktales, and also by illustrations of the natural world that were created before the advent of the camera. By working in series, I’m able to explore the storytelling possibilities of each character and setting and to develop a loose narrative arc around them.
My residency at Arthouse Holland has given me a much-needed chance to observe, absorb, and digest new information. Right before arriving I finished a series that I had been working on for the last three years. The residency gave me the chance to look closely and in person at much of the work that has inspired me for the last decade or two. It also gave me a chance to put the duties and deadlines of ordinary life aside, and to find the time and space to let my imagination grow again. It has been equally helpful and inspiring to live with a group of artists and discuss ideas, share experiences, and feel like part of a community.
CV
BOOKS
"Grand Isle," by Kate Samworth, September 2021, Akashic/Black Sheep Books
"Why Fish Don't Exist", by Lulu Miller, a Peabody Award-winning journalist for NPR (Simon and Schuster, 2020)
“Liza Jane and the Dragon,” by Laura Lippman, illustrated by Kate Samworth. (Akashic 2020)
“Aviary Wonders, Inc.” written and illustrated by Kate Samworth (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin 2014)
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITS
2021 "In the Pines," Lost Origins Gallery, DC
2020 "Seasons of the Bear," Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
"Wake in the Woods," Anne Bryan Gallery, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA
2018 “The Antidote Series” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2015 “Blackberry Ramble: The Adventures of Charles Wilson Peale”, Olin Hall Gallery at Roanoke College Roanoke, VA
2014 Original Illustrations from Aviary Wonders Inc., McGuffey Art Center, Charlottesville, VA
2014 Original Illustrations from Aviary Wonders Inc., Artisphere, Arlington, VA
2013 “The Immortal Charles Peale,” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2011 “Dioramas” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2010 “The Outskirts of Catatonia” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2008 “Greetings from Tyvekia” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2007 “Save Room for Cake” Rodger Lapelle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2006 “Music In the Trenches” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2004 “New Work” Pringle Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2003 “New Work” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2002 “New Work” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
1999 “Recent Work” Sylvia Schmidt Gallery, New Orleans, LA
1998 “New Work” Taylor Wells, College Park, MD
1997 “Theatre” Cirque de Ville, New Orleans, LA
1995 “Salvaged Elegance” Artifacts, New Orleans, LA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITS
2020 "Out of Touch," Subliminal Projects Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 "Fierce & Frail: Of Beings, Beasts, and Seed" Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR
2018 “Books as Art and Art for Books,” McGuffey Art Center, Charlottesville, LA
2018 "untitled" mAe Gallery, Del Ray, FL
2017 "Inside the Book," McGuffey Art Center, Charlottesville, VA
2017 "Miniatures," New Orleans Academy of Fine Art, New Orleans, LA
2016 “A Big Story,” Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2015 "Greyscale Wonderland," BG Gallery Bergamot Station, Santa Monica CA
"A Big Story," PA Academy of Fine Arts Gallery
2012 SCOPE Art Fair, Miami, FL represented by Le Mieux Gallery
“Man and Monster” Le Mieux Gallery, New Orleans, LA
“Invitational Still Life Exhibit” Artist’s House, Philadelphia, PA
2011 SCOPE Art Fair, New York, NY represented by Le Mieux Gallery
“Haunting Narratives” Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2010 “Sound and Silence” Artist’s House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
“Introductions” Artist’s House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2009 “Fresh” Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
“Small Works” Artist’s House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
“Miniatures” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
“Postcards to the CAC” Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans, LA
“40 Days” LA State Archives, Baton Rouge, LA
2008 “World Without Us” Glass Garage Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art of the State” State Museum of Pennsylvania Harrisburg, PA
“The Drawing Show” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2007 “Personal Narratives Davidson Gallery, Seattle, WA
“Small Paintings” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
“My Space” Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC
2006 “National Juried Prize Show” Kathryn Schultz Gallery, Cambridge, MA
“Salon of Small Engravings Fundacion Lolita Rubial Minas, Uruguay
“Biennial Intl. Miniature Print Exhibition” New Leaf Editions Vancouver, Canada
“N PersephoneOs Spring” Carroll Gallery, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
2005 “Miniature Paintings” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2004 “American Impressions” William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ
“Postcards to the CAC” Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans, LA
2003 “Miniatures” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2002 “The Drawing Show” Academy Gallery, New Orleans, LA
“Introductions: 3 Artists” Sylvia Schmidt Gallery, New Orleans, LA
1997 “Sheroes” Hanson Gallery, New Orleans, LA
“Three Artists” Patio Gallery, Covington, LA
1994 “Artist and Child” Strathmore Hall, Rockville, MD
1994 “New Artists” Originals Gallery, Del Mar, CA
EDUCATION
BFA Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
New Orleans Academy of Fine Art, Atelier, Painting and Drawing, New Orleans, LA
Corcoran School of Art, Fundamentals of Painting, Washington, DC
George Washington University, Drawing and Art History, Washington, DC
