Kate Samworth
Kate (Catherine) Samworth (b. 1967) is an artist, author and illustrator whose book Aviary Wonders Inc.: Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual won the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers in 2014 with the judges saying it was "one of the most creative books we have ever encountered." [1][2] Her illustrations frequently involve the natural world and human interaction with it. Samworth's travels—to Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil—are a source for her artwork.[3] Her book, Aviary Wonders, is a mockup of a catalog in a future world with extinct birds. Readers are invited to peruse "a charming selection of bodies and wings, and assemble a realistic bird automaton."[4] Samworth says she is "trained in the techniques... of the Old Masters and influenced by the darker aspects of Goya, Daumier, and Balthus."[5]
Kate Samworth | |
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Samworth at the 2014 Gaithersburg Book Festival | |
Born | Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA |
Education | Bachelor of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, 2010 |
Occupation | Artist, Author and Illustrator |
Known for | Aviary Wonders Inc. |
She is currently working on a fictionalized story about natural history collector Charles Peale.[4]
Samworth studied and taught painting at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art, and considers Auseklis Ozols one of her mentors.[4] She received a BFA from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2010 where she studied printmaking and still teaches workshops.[6] Her paintings and prints have been found in the collections of the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, the Woodmere Art Museum, and the Fundación Lolita Rubial in Uruguay.[7]
Personal life
Samworth was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She played bass in the band Fire Party in the late 1980s.
References
- Kellogg, Carolyn (2014-10-23). "First Kirkus Prizes go to Roz Chast, Lily King and Kate Samworth". latimes.com. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- White, Caitlin (2014-10-28). "Women Take Home All Three 2014 Kirkus Prizes". Bustle. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
- "LeMieux Galleries". LeMieux Galleries. 2018-12-03. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- op de Beeck, Nathalie (2014-03-27). "Q & A with Kate Samworth". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- "Kate Samworth - Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts". Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- "Kate Samworth". International Directory of Art Workshops & Classes. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- "Liza Jane & the Dragon". Laura Lippman, Kate Samworth - Akashic Books. Retrieved 2019-01-27.