Katy Rundle – From Macmillian nurse to professional textile artist
Last summer I had a most enjoyable day at the Talos Gallery in Heddington near Calne and it was here that I first came across the work of Katy Rundle. Needless to say when I heard she was going to speak at our March meeting I was extremely excited.
Katy arrived with a wonderful selection of her work for everyone to enjoy together with some limited edition prints and cards.
As a child Katy explained that she loved art but ended up following her mother into nursing and became a MacMillian nurse, specialising in palliative care. During a surprise phone call from her husband one day he asked if she fancied a couple of years in Kenya and not being allowed to work, Katy had the opportunity of exploring her true love of art getting inspiration from the animals and countryside around her. She experimented with drawing, painting and collage.
On their return to the UK the family went to live in Dorset where Katy enrolled on various courses including quilting and upholstery. In 2016 the parents at her children’s school were invited to contribute to a fundraising art exhibition and to her delight Katy sold her exhibit showing a cow wandering down the driveway on the approach road to the school. She also had five commissions taken during the exhibition. In 2017 Katy exhibited for the first time at an art fair in London and while she was there she was approached by a researcher for the Sky Arts programme “Landscape Artist of the Year”. The following year Katy sat on the beach at Broadstairs and only had 4 hours to produce a piece of her stitched art which she found quite challenging.
In 2018 Katy made a big decision and decided to give up nursing and moved into her own studio at Project Workshops in Andover. Life was not straightforward but she overcame everything, attending art fairs and gaining numerous commissions. Katy now offers “in person” workshops for her technique and in conjunction with ShopKeepArty, has online workshops available on YouTube.
In 2023 Katy was awarded the “Best Newcomer’s” award for the David Sheppard’s Wildlife Foundation.
For our members the most interesting part of Katy’s talk was to hear about her approach to a subject, her choice of fabrics and threads and the way she uses free machine embroidery to enhance the shape and curves of an animal or a landscape. It was particularly fun to see the back of her work and hear how Katy identifies the various tones in her designs.
More recently Katy has been involved with the Fabric of Winchester project for dementia and worked with Winchester Hospice creating an allium flower which has now become their chosen design for their merchandise.
Looking to the future Katy plans to submit one of her designs to the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy this year so we wait with fingers crossed and hope she is accepted. She is also planning an Open Studios event at her studio in the Project Workshops on 1 and 2 June 2024 and will be exhibiting her work again at the Talos Art Gallery and Sculpture Gardens between 25 May and 21 July 2024.
Thank you Katy for a wonderful afternoon and I know everyone will follow you with interest and hopefully see your work again in the summer. Please come back and lead a workshop one day which I know would be extremely popular!
Report by Ros
Photos by Ros
Website: https://katyrundleart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katyrundle/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.co,m/katyrundleart/
Project workshops, Andover: https://www.project-workshop.co.uk/
Talos Art Gallery and Sculpture Gardens: https://www.talosartgallery.co.uk/