Kate Rattray*
Kate Rattray | Printmaking | Devon
Working as The Dreaming Lark, Kate attempts to capture the wild, mythical spirit of Dartmoor. After thirty years as a professional mosaicist, she transitioned to linocut printmaking and collage in 2023 to explore themes of folklore, animism, and the ancient stories held within the land. Through walking, deep listening, sensory awareness, and imaginative thought, she communicates with the more-than-human world, allowing their stories to shape her work.
Sublime and otherworldly experiences enrich her sketch’s she makes on the moors, becoming the foundation for prints, which are sometimes carved and printed en plein air.
Experiments making her own paper and inks from foraging small amounts of moorland grasses, oak galls, charcoal, flowers and berries serve to deepen her relationship with the landscape.
As an environmentally conscious artist, Kate tries to find responsible ways to work with the land whilst maintaining a sustainable practice.
She uses biodegradable hessian backed lino, and paper made either in the UK that is vegan and recycled, or Japanese paper made from sustainable plants.
Some of her prints are painted using her handmade inks and/or commercial water based gouache paints.
Her variable prints allow her to use different papers or inks to make each print unique.