Artist of the Week: Kate Thomas

In recent work I looked at urban, industrial areas around London and elsewhere. Concentrating on the surfaces of bricks and the types of fences in these areas designed to keep people out (or in). Since the start of the pandemic I’ve included images of birds, sometimes combined with the walls and fences, using these opposite symbols of freedom and captivity.

I have been using linocut printing for some of my more recent work, as I’m able to produce large-scale work which is hand-printed rather than using my small printing press which limits the size of my work. I’ve also been experimenting with a new (for me) printmaking technique called mokulito, which allows for combining a more drawn, painted technique with woodcut details. As well as printmaking I’ve produced a range of drawings with ink and/or graphite, either as finished pieces or as sketches around the subjects I’m interested in.