Katie Allen "Transforming Nature"

Cube Gallery is pleased to present Katie Allen's solo exhibition Transforming Nature.

The origin of Katie's work is rooted in the landscape as she observes, records and paints the continually changing seasons transforming from spring to summer, summer to autumn to winter and back to spring again, primarily of the landscapes of her native South Wales. Katie knows nothing is static - everything is in a constant state of impermanent flux and change. Using this as her inspiration she transforms what she observes and that which is in her mind's eye to a tangible painting, fixed and ordered from the transient and ephemeral. Her work, too, changes and transforms through the process of painting as she tries to create balance and harmony with composition, colour and surface. As new inspiration and ideas come to her though others' work and nature and as her practice continues to develop her painting slowly transforms and changes and this too cannot be fixed. Each finished piece is a captured moment within the changing cycle. The paintings when viewed as a whole are of recognisable landscapes and natural forms - trees and plants, insects and birds - but on closer inspection become detailed abstract patterns composed of intricate designs and subtle colour harmonies. The paintings explore the play of scale from macro to micro and the movement between representational and abstract. They are enjoyed on different levels, with the viewer constantly finding new areas to explore and be drawn into.

About the artist

1967 Born Kingston upon Thames

1975 Moved to Swansea

1985-86 Foundation course, Swansea

1986-89 BA (Hons) Fine Art Painting, Bath

1995-96 PGCE Art and Design, Cardiff

1996-2006 Art Teacher: Botswana, Brighton and Swansea

2006 Left teaching to paint full time

Katie Allen lives and works in Swansea, South Wales.

Exhibitions

2010 Group Show Mostyn - We Have The Mirrors, We Have The Plans

2010 Solo Show Cube Gallery Bristol - Four Seasons

2012 Solo Show Mission Gallery Swansea - Nature Illuminated

2014 Ffin y Parc Gallery Llanwrst North Wales

2015 Solo Show Cube Gallery Bristol - Landscape.Colour.Harmony

2016 Ffin y Parc Gallery Llanwrst North Wales

Public art

In 2012 Katie was commissioned to produce a series of paintings for the New Outpatients Building at Morriston Hospital, Swansea. The paintings of Shore, Moorland, Woodland and Sky have been photographically reproduced and are used throughout the building to enhance the environment for visitors and staff and to act as way finders throughout the building. The building opened to the public in Summer 2015. As well as the paintings, Katie designed a stained glass panel to go in the Outpatients Building dedicated to Organ Donors and their families. This was created by stained glass artist Simon Howard and is now installed in the building.