Meet Kate Burke | Textile and Ceramics Artist

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

Hi Kate, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursue an artistic career because it is something that I am compelled to do. It is a compulsion that I cannot squash. Thinking about concepts, researching and observing the environment around me, and translating that work into a visual piece is something that has become an inherent need for me. To me, pursuing an artistic career is like eternal problem solving. I am always posing questions and investigating answers. I use art as a means to dig into the “truth.” To shed light, to provide a different perspective. I believe art in all its forms allows us to see different sides to the story than we were previously capable of. Art can be the bridge between individuals’ understanding of one another, and I’ve always felt it is my calling in life to be a bridge for people–a place where people can meet in the middle.

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.
In my art practice, I explore the hidden, often ceremonial, aspects of personal thinking. My works employ the motif of repetition to emphasize the subtle jealousies, personal doubts, and confusions that ricochet and echo throughout our minds. The landscape of our brains can feel endless, with thoughts copying-and-pasting into oblivion. I strive for my works to feel “groundless” and “intangible,” as if they lack materiality and take on this other-worldly quality. As thoughts are not something we can grasp and physically control, I’ve aimed for something that strikes a balance between tactility, intimacy, and ethereality. The motif of repetition also brings in a layer of “ceremony.” Surrounding ideas of chants, prayers, and mantras, my work is inspired by what happens to our perspectives when we repeat a phrase over and over again. Does the phrase shift our thought processes and integrate itself into our beliefs? Does it evolve into “truth” or “Truth”? There have been some intense developments in my work over the past 3 years. When I moved to Atlanta in 2017, I was focusing primarily on abstract collages and paintings. Before long I began to actually pay attention to the concepts and ideas that naturally flowed out of me–and they all happened to revolve around words. I began to pivot and explore what it would look like to take some of my writings and musings and visually depict them in a fine art context. I hope that I can continue with this method of thinking to continuously evolve my works throughout my life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I honestly love Atlanta for it’s outdoor accessibility. Most of my free time in the city is spent walking and running around Kirkwood and Inman Park. My Atlanta food tour would be as follows: Breakfast–Ria’s Bluebird. It has the best breakfast burrito you’ll ever consume. Lunch–Muchacho. Coffee + tacos. Dinner and drinks–I will die on the hills of Superica and Kimball House. Late night snacks and drinks–Victory Sandiwch Bar in Decatur. An alternate answer to this would be the lovely Golden Eagle. After the conclusion of my food tour, I would take my guests dancing at The Music Room on Edgewood Avenue.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
For me, the most important factor in pursuing art has been the people I surround myself with. I am so lucky to have a fleet of friends and family who take genuine interest in my work. Their response and critique stoke the fire when it feels like it’s minutes from going out. There have been moments when I’ve noticed myself normalizing ideas of giving up, and in those moments my friends breathe wind into my sails. Being around them caffeinates me. They are my springboards and my spitballers. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for them.

Website: www.kateburkestudio.com
Instagram: @kateburkestudio & @kateburkeceramics

Image Credits
Images all courtesy of Kate Burke.