Kate Birch Kids

It’s an area of creativity she understands as an illustrator, a writer and a mother. Based in Salt Lake City, alongside her career as an artist she has written four young adult novels. As a little girl at the kitchen table, she drew scenes of dogs dressed as people and ladies in fancy dresses, and today her colourful, realistic imagery is inspiring the next generation of creatives. Working in gouache, Kate has a voracious appetite to paint, and has created an image every day since 2019. It’s taught her to be fast, and given her a sharp eye for form, colour and composition which results in imagery that children easily relate to and that advances the narrative. She’s incredibly skilled in capturing surfaces and materials using paint as her medium, enchanting the viewer with reflections, smoke, flame and beautiful clouds at sunset.

Approach

“I grew up imagining that creativity was the core to a fulfilling life. As an adult, I haven’t strayed from that belief,” says Kate. Working mainly in gouache, she explores characters, settings, surfaces and textures, using real world observation for both reference and inspiration.

Style

Strong colour and contrast lend a Pop Art feel to Kate’s work, yet there is a strong sense of realism in the worlds she creates, where whimsical little adventures can come to life, or bigger mysteries can unravel.