Kate Smith
Born Manchester England 1947. I Immigrated to New Zealand with my parents in 1952. After leaving school, my previous background was for a woollen textile mill, as a textile design assistant. After I married in 1968, along with my husband, I started a fashion label 'Dante’ designing and making fashion items for swinging sixties boutiques. By 1973, then a mother of three, pins and needles and fashion became inappropriate.
It was then I decided to pursue a career in art, within a few short weeks after teaching myself to draw from a 99 cent "How to Draw" magazine I became Auckland's first sidewalk artist, at Parnell Village, Auckland’s trendiest shopping and café precinct. By the following year, 1974, although not formally trained, I was offered my first solo exhibition in a commercial gallery, pastels portraits, titled 'Tangata Whenua' (people of the land). With my husband’s encouragement, I became a full-time professional artist in 1975 and the family breadwinner. Like many New Zealanders we moved to Australia in 1981 where my career has flourished ever since.
I have held many solo exhibitions Australia wide. As well as my current figurative works, I produced a body of landscape work between 1983-1991 culminating in the publication of my book 'Alice & Beyond'. I have received many accolades and art awards during the 52 years I have been painting.
Corporate Collections
Auckland City Library Collection, Adelaide, State Library Collection, New Zealand, Embassy Bahrain, Qantas Australia, Auckland Public Library, Moreton Shire Council Qld, Hall & Chadwick Qld, Lend Lease Australia, BHP Australia, RM Williams, Stockman’s Hall of Fame Longreach Qld, Robin Gibson Architects Qld, Power Brewing Power Group Qld, Media Five Architects Qld, Arthur Anderson Australia, Allied Coalfields Queensland, Caloundra Shire Council Qld, Marina Mirage Queensland, Miles Fletcher & Cross Qld, Golder and Associates Qld, State Government Insurance Qld, Wesley Hospital Queensland, Jones Lang Wooton, Marist College Brisbane, John Paul College Brisbane, Burke Hall Melbourne, Grand Mariner Resort Gold Coast, Calralburn Valley Resort Qld, Australia Wide Property Trust, Beenleigh City Council Qld, Sunshine News Papers Qld, Noosa City Council, Utah Mining USA, Ponsolanic USA, Buxton Property Development Vic, National Gallery Print Collection.
Regional Gallery Collections
Publications
Readers Digest cover work 1989, Readers Digest cover work 1990, Outrider Vol 1 Feature cover work article Kate Smith 1989, Outrider Vol.2. Poetry, Outrider Cover work 1990, Alice and Beyond Book Boolarong publication Kate Smith 1989. Art in Australia Winter Issue 1989, Victorian Homes 'Article Kate Australia 1989', Art and Australia Summer edition 2001, Antique and Art 2001, Antique and Art 2002, Art & Australia 2002, Art Collector 2002, Life Styles 2002, Good Life Magazine 2003, Australian Art Review 2003, Australian Art Collector 2003, Australian Art Collector 2004, Australian Art Review 2004, Australian Art Collector 2005, Noosa Style 2005, Lifestyle 2005, Antique & Art 2005, Art Collector 2006 Summer Edition, Art Collector 2006 Spring Edition, Art Collector Winter 2006, Life Style 2006, Noosa Style Cover and interview 2007, Art Collector June 2007, Antique and Art 2008, Art Collector 2008, Nossa Style 2008, Australian Art Collector 2009 Noosa Style 2010, Lifestyle magazine 2013, Luminous Colour showcasing Australia Pastel Artist 2014 Book published by Linda Hibbs.