Katherine Steeds: A Heartfelt Exploration

Katherine first became interested in this bird on a visit to the Miranda Shorebird Centre in February 2009. Extensive research since has inspired her to explore in her current artworks aspects of the life, migration, and history of this remarkable little bird, including its inevitable contact and conflict with humans.

Poster for Katherine's 2014 exhibition

At the age of fifteen Katherine nearly took art at school. Instead she put her name down for science and later graduated from university with a B.Sc. majoring in environmental studies.

After careers that included laboratory analysis, dairy farming and teaching, in 1994 Katherine moved to Tauranga and was again drawn to the visual arts and began a small hire/commission art and design business, encouraged by the work of her Godfather and also her uncle, Ted Bracey.

When Katherine's three children became more independent, she also took up full-time study again and her most recent qualification is a Post Graduate Diploma in Art & Design in 2012.

Katherine usually works at the intersection of science and art. She frequently incorporates visual symbols and conventions extracted from texts, and adapts ideas gleaned from conversations with science specialists or her own background research.

Much of Katherine's work is illustrative and is meticulous with a light touch.

Katherine has pieces in private collections in Germany, Italy, France, the UK and USA as well as New Zealand..

Find out more about Katherine's art and see more of her artworks at http://www.katherinesteeds.com/

by Pete Morris (August 2014).