ABOUT KATE HOULE ARTWORK
Meditation Through Clay
About the Artist:
Kate Houle is a clay artist local to the Merrimack Valley. Her work is an introspection into the interconnectedness of nature, spirit, community and art.
Kate finds clay to be the perfect medium to discuss the balance we all seek to find in life. Clay can be fickle, and it needs to be approached with a yogic mind-set, feeling into the tactile push and pull relationship is one of Kate's favorite aspects of clay.
Kate finds her inspiration in the world of birds. Birds are so widely seen and interacted with on a day to day basis, providing beauty and a taste of the wild to those who sit and watch. By using the imagery of the bird in her sculptural and functional clay work, Kate evokes that tangible connection to a world so different than our own. Her most recent work focuses on the hummingbird. The hummingbird is one of the most anthropomorphized animals, making it a perfect protagonist in the discussion of our connection to nature and the world around us.
Artist Bio:
Kate began working in clay at Keene State College, focusing on solely sculptural clay pieces. Since graduation Kate has found the potter's wheel a perfect addition to her studio practice. Kate makes functional work with feather motifs. Kate works with porcelaneous high fire clay fired in a reduction kiln. Her sculptural work is an intuitive process and hand-built, collaging natural elements crafted from clay, such as crystals, feathers and flowers alongside birds. Most recently, Kate has started to create functional pieces such as bird feeders and houses, for wildlife to directly interact with.
Kate is currently a studio assistant and teacher at Two Rivers Ceramics Studio in Newbury, MA. Kate has been involved in local shows throughout the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area and is always looking for new opportunities to connect with the community through teaching, exhibitions and workshops. Kate has spent time working in a variety of different fields which has greatly influenced her work most notably, a season on the Production Crew at OMEGA Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, and her work as a Long Term Options Counselor with Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley.