Kate Alterio - Profile
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Artistic expression is a way for me to convey concepts, emotions, thoughts and dreams in solid tangible forms. Being able to transform creative inspiration into pieces of art is a deeply satisfying process. I enjoy pushing my personal and technical boundaries by using many different mediums and innovative ways to express the inner and outer worlds as I see and experience them. I like to explore the relationships between traditional materials, non-conventional materials and found objects. I am driven by my desire to understand what it is to be human, how we relate to ourselves, each other and the world we live in. These ideas often feature in my work as I strive to create art with a social commentary and to instil in the viewer moments of self-reflection. Each piece is handcrafted with the hope that it will be appreciated for its individual aesthetic and will evoke thought about its deeper meaning. As a child, I watched my father weld. I was mesmerised by the interaction between flame and metal. My mother is a writer with a passion for storytelling so I learnt from a young age how to visualise and use my imagination. It is no surprise that with Dad’s practical and technical influence and Mum nurturing my creativity that I would gravitate to a craft such as jewellery. In 1997, I attended jewellery night classes at Otago Polytechnic, although my real passion for jewellery was ignited when I moved to Wellington in 2002 and studied with goldsmith Dorthe Kristensen until 2006. For the last four years, I have been working from home further developing my technical skills and creative practice. In 2008 I began a collaborative project with artist Claire Beynon, which involved a co-mentoring process that enabled each of us to step outside our primary discipline in order to become familiar with each other’s conceptual approaches and technical skills. The resulting body of work showcases this inter-disciplinary cross-pollination. Our exhibition Alchemy opened at Galley 33 on 20th November 2009 and moved to The Artist Room in April 2010, ending its journey at Quoil Gallery, July 2010. My new jewellery collection, ‘Infinite Possibilities’, will open at Quoil Gallery in November 2010 and then it will move to Gallery 33 in December 2010. Another creative avenue opened up in 2010 when Mark Richter and Heinz Sobiecki offered me a photography mentorship. I am working on a series of black and white photographs shot on film and hand-printed in a dark room. The collection, ‘Somewhere In-between’, will be shown in 2011. I am also working on a solo painting exhibition, ‘Beneath the Surface’, opening at the Arthouse in February 2011. Exhibitions - Alchemy, Quoil Gallery, Wellington, July 2010 |
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