ABOUT
Kate is an Edinburgh-based artist and book illustrator, fascinated by myths, folklore and legend and inspired by animals and nature.
She graduated in printmaking from Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, where she first began to explore how narrative, character and emotion are visually represented, which eventually led her to illustration.
Her work is mainly in pastels and is notable for its use of colour, intricate detail, atmosphere, emotion and occasional humour. Her work is exhibited both nationally and internationally.
Included in Private Collections - Coopers and Lybrand, Dumfries House, Grampian Hospital Art Trust, Gray’s School of Art, Moray District Council, The Royal Lyceum Theatre (Edinburgh) Scottish Storytelling Centre (Edinburgh), Seven Stories Centre (Newcastle)
ILLUSTRATION
Kate’s illustrated work includes the Illustrated Treasuries, written by Theresa Breslin and published by Floris Books, along with 'A Wee Bird was Watching' and 'The Queen of the Birds', written by Karine Polwart, and ‘The Book of the Howlat’, written by James Robertson, all published by Birlinn.
For all book illustration enquiries, please contact my agent, Kathryn Ross, of Fraser Ross Associates.
Previous clients - Birlinn Books, Boswell Book Festival, Floris Books, Frances Lincoln Books, Grid Iron Theatre Company, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Scottish National Museums, Random House, Royal Lyceum Theatre (Edinburgh), Theatre Workshop (Edinburgh), Walker Books, Woodland Trust.
AWARDS - RESIDENCIES - RECOGNITION
3 x 3 International Illustration Show - Gold - Children’s Illustration category, for illustrations from ‘An Illustrated Treasury of Dragon Tales’
ADC 104th Annual Awards 2025 - Bronze Cube - Book Illustration category, for illustrations from ‘An Illustrated Treasury of Dragon Tales’
2025 Illustrator’s Exhibition - Finalist - Bologna Book Fair, Italy, for illustrations from ‘An Illustrated Treasury of Dragon Tales’
Illustrator-in-Residence, Carrongrange High School - Working on the theme of the Kelpies in a school specialising in teaching young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties, funded by the Scottish Book Trust, January - April 2025
Artist-in-Residence at the Royal Drawing School - Dumfries House, May 2024
V&A Illustration Award 2022 - Shortlisted - Book Illustration category, for illustrations from ‘The Queen of the Birds’
Illustrator-in-Residence, Fairview Primary School - Working on the theme of Dragons in a school specialising in teaching young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties, funded by the Scottish Book Trust, January 2020 - Cut short by the Covid-19 lockdown
The CILIP Greenaway Medal 2020 - Nominated - For illustrations in ‘An Illustrated Treasury of Castle Legends’
Kate Greenaway Medal 2013 - Longlisted - For illustration in ‘An Illustrated Treasury of Folk and Fairy Tales’
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Hexer 3 - ‘Borders and Boundaries’, Edinburgh, July 2025 - Group Show
Illustrators 67 Exhibition - Society of Illustrators, New York, March-April 2025 - Group Show
RSW 143rd Annual Exhibition - RSW, Edinburgh, January-February 2024 - Group Show
Hexer Exhibition - ‘The Hamnavoe Set’, Edinburgh, July 2023 - Group Show
Summerhall Residents’ Exhibition - Summerhall, Edinburgh, November-December 2022 - Group Show
Red Dot Gallery - Christmas Exhibition, November-December 2021 - Group Show
A Pageant of Tudor Birds and Beasts - Blickling Hall (National Trust), Norfolk, with the Red Dot Gallery, August-October 2015 - Solo Show