Inspiration
At the young age of 8 months, Kate was already spending time propped up in a hand painted high chair coloring for hours at a time. Recognizing her artistic talent, Kate’s parents made sure she had plenty of opportunities to take formal drawing lessons throughout grade and high school. In her youth, Kate, one of four children in a military family, enjoyed moving around to different states and soaked in the cultures and landscapes as the family traveled. She also had a passion for exploring flea markets and antique shops with her mother, a talented designer and artist herself. These visits into the past have provided her with the inspiration she draws upon today to create a time-worn look using muted, sophisticated colors and textures.
Starting Out
Upon completion of her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from the Atlanta College of Art, Kate moved to Wilmington, North Carolina where she successfully started and ran a decorative painting business that focused on decorative wall finishes, trompe l’oeil murals and hand painted furniture. It was here also that she met her future husband, Kenny, a Marine lieutenant stationed at nearby Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Once again the military took her across the country to San Diego, California where she re-established her decorative painting business.
When her husband left active duty in 1996, they moved to Denver, Colorado where they worked together rebuilding the same decorative painting business. After several years of hard work and success, the desire to be home with her young children and the increase demand for her artwork led her to explore other options. The opportunity to enter the art licensing market came at the 1998 Licensing Show in New York City.
Licensing
Over the past several years, Kate’s artwork has received a tremendous response from consumers, retailers and manufacturers alike. As her presence in the global art licensing market has increased, her list of licensees has continued to expand and includes many of today’s leading manufacturers. Kate’s knowledge and passion for home fashions has enabled Kate to turn her hand to the home décor industry with much success. In the tradition of European Muralists, Kate’s style reflects the colors and textures of Tuscany, Normandy, and Provence. Placing decorative icons on sophisticated backgrounds, her patterned brushwork evokes the texture of sun-worn damask. The combination of Kate’s artistic style with her ability to create collections related to current home trends allows for successful home décor and gift products sold by retailers around the world. “I feel really blessed to be using my creativity in painting and product design.” Kate says, “While there is great satisfaction in the work, the real joy comes when it’s shared with others.”
Today, Kate works out of a studio near her home in Wilmington, NC where she lives with her husband and three daughters.
She is enjoying the balance of family life and painting – including working with her two sisters, Meghan and Kristin who help her with the daily operations of Kate McRostie DesignWorks, Inc.
Kate continues to draw inspiration from God, life, nature, and the encouraging people around her.
