Meet Kate Burke | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Burke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work-life balance is always an interesting topic for me. As artists working in a capitalistic society, we have to find ways to fend for ourselves, pay our bills, and support our artistic practices. Over the years, this has looked like maintaining multiple part-time gigs while balancing health, wellness, and the creative spirit. Whew! Anyone else a bit tired?

After 10 years of working overtime, splicing full-time jobs with other part-time jobs, on top of an art practice and social life, I can still say that I am definitely still working overtime, but the approach is a little bit different. When I first started pursing my art career seriously, I used my studio hours as a respite from the corporate 9-5, or as an escape from the grueling nature of the high-paced service industry. As my practice has grown, the stakes have gotten higher and my practice has demanded more of my attention, which–I am happy to give it!

With that though, I’ve had to approach my practice in a wholistic manner. Broader questions about how to integrate my art practice into the grand scheme of “my life” have been at the forefront of my thoughts lately. The art deadlines and obligations are more frequent, and more demanding (in a good way), which means I have to approach it more like a business, and wear administrative hats as well as creative hats. As I’ve noticed this change, my art has become less of a respite, and more of a “practice”–I have to adapt and learn how to manage this entity that I’ve developed, this world that I am building! It comes with new responsibilities and new “problems,” which also means I’ve had to find new and different ways to find rest and relaxation in my life.

In today’s society, we are steeped in grind-culture and girl-boss-eras. Adapting to the pace and finding out what my specific pace is has been integral to my work-life balance. What can I handle? What do I need to outsource? How can I support my specific system (my business system, my creative system, and my nervous system)? In asking these questions, I am grateful to call myself an artist, as I approach these moments of growth with an air of artistic curiosity, and find new joy in the creative problem solving of “making it work.”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Having grown up in Southern Baptist culture, the questions of control, sin, and self-acceptance recurred as themes throughout my development. What was truly “holy”? What did it mean when you saw Southern hospitality swapped for power and oppression? These metaphysical questions ultimately led me away from Christianity into a deeper desire to understand spirituality through the lens of human evolution: what emphasis did environment and cultural context have on my emotional, mental, and spiritual disposition? Why were so many people who called themselves Christians devout but deeply unhappy? Why was I so deeply unhappy?

Through the process of eliminating conditioned thought patterns, I recognized a new problem. What was I going to put in their place? As I began to exorcise the God-void, I was greeted with a new suitor: The Internet and All Its Reverberating Thoughts. Thoughts that relentlessly and seamlessly read my mail out loud to me everyday, always. An endless mirror:

“Are you good enough? The numbers don’t lie.”

My obsession with the internet and its spiritual effect on humans ultimately led me to discover the concept of “Metaphysical poetry:” a genre of poetry that muses philosophical concepts through intense and dissonant imagery, complex metaphors, and perhaps even whimsical or contradictory language to pontificate about the human experience. With the social sphere of the internet being shepherded by the company “Meta” and my bend towards craft to make my ideas “physical”–I use the traditional, intimate, and intentional technologies of the human experience (textiles and ceramics) to dissect my philosophical discussions about the fleeting yet pervasive effects of cellular devices and other ethereal digital platforms on Homo Sapiens. Does our time on the Internet provide a mental framework that mirrors the magnitude of effects that an intense religious upbringing can have on a person? How easy is it for me to fall into that framework, and how do I wiggle away if I want out? By switching from ethereal textile works to heavy ceramic mosaics, I can empathetically force the viewers into bodily responding to the weight, heaviness, or intangible nature of a spiritual or philosophical idea, paving way for a greater connection with our felt sense and ability to critically tap into a side of ourselves that is often shut away in today’s society.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whitespace Gallery, off of Edgewood Ave, would definitely be one of my first recommendations! With a variety of art installations, there’s a little bit for everyone. Situated on a beautiful campus in the historic Inman Park neighborhood, there is so much to explore. I would also plan to visit the Freedom Park Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings, as well as the Grant Park Farmer’s Market on Sundays!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am so grateful to the Atlanta art community. A motley group born from a fire of enthusiasm, there has not been an idea too big or too small for this community. I am particularly grateful to whitespace gallery, the Atlanta Contemporary, Sonya Yong James, Susan Bridges, and Lynne Tanzer for being some of the guiding institutions and individuals that have helped me along in my career. To my cohort of Atlanta peers (you know who you are)–I am so enlightened and encouraged by your gumption to create and make artistic moments of connection.

Website: https://www.kateburkestudio.com

Instagram: @kateburkestudio

Linkedin: Katie Burke

Image Credits
Headshot – Jenn Finch Photo, 2024