Kate Oliver
Life is too complex and overlapping for me to make art about just one thing. That’s why “ontology” feels like the right word for my practice. Feminism, grief, anger, joy, childhood they’re all part of life, but none captures it entirely. For a painting to feel alive, it needs to hold all of it at once.
Painting is when my racing thoughts begin to slow—not because they stop, but because they flow into the work. It’s cathartic, meditative, and urgent. Having lived with mental illness from a young age, I know that creativity heals, though I’m still exploring why and how. I often paint on the floor to reduce formality and intimidation. A flat canvas invites movement, and gravity behaves differently—thin paint pools, blends, and transforms. overnight in unpredictable ways, much like glaze in a kiln.
Colour is central to my work. Inspired by Northumberland skies, I’ve developed a personal palette system using intuitive terms like “juicy,” “spicy,” and “milky.” Each painting needs a balance of these qualities. Though hard to define, this colour language is instinctive—a reflection of the ongoing questions I ask myself while I paint.
