Artist Interview: Kathy Hutton

I'm a curious type; I like to know what informs an artist. Who or what do they look to for inspiration? How do they work? Each month I will be asking an artist I admire a few questions, this month is Kathy Hutton.

Stacking Bowls Print by Kathy Hutton Using Silkscreen, Block Print, Jelly Print & Monoprinting Techniques

Kathy, I've been following your work for some years now, you seem to be able to turn your hand to so many printmaking techniques with beautiful results. What method of printmaking is your favourite and why?

I love to use different printing techniques depending on the feel that I want to achieve and I often end up using multiple techniques in one print, however if I had to choose my absolute favourite technique it would be the mono-printed line (sometimes called a mono-trace).

It’s due to this technique that I feel happy drawing and have a confidence in my lines. It sounds strange but it’s both unforgiving and forgiving at the same time! I’m drawing directly into the black ink so there is nowhere to hide, you can’t erase the marks once made so you just have to be brave. With a pencil on paper I dither, I use far too many lines and they have no confidence. But with this technique I’m forced to choose a line and go with it! It sounds terrifying but actually I find it completely freeing.

At the same time, the paper is also picking up little accidental marks and smudges from the ink, these add character to the drawing in a way that cannot be controlled. These little quirks are part of the forgiving nature and are what makes each and every drawing unique.

It’s also a completely instant technique, which can’t be said for many printing techniques that often involve preparation in different stages. With a mono print as you are drawing, you are creating the print there and then; for someone like me who is a little impatient, this is a real treat! As I’m drawing I’m concentrating only on the item I’m drawing and so in that moment I feel very connected. Linking eye and hand with a pencil and a bit of ink!

Sweet Pea Print by Kathy Hutton Using Monotype

Sweet Pea Print by Kathy Hutton Using Monotype

Nature appears to be your biggest source of inspiration, what is it about recording nature that appeals to you?

I’ve become fascinated by the natural things growing around my home, in the fields and lanes beyond our garden. The more I look, the more I see. It’s become a bit of an obsession and through it I’ve become much more aware of the changing seasons and their effects. I’m especially interested in the everyday; fallen leaves, seed heads and berries.

I thought that in the midst of winter I would struggle to find inspiration, but actually I find these quieter months are full of fallen treasure ready to be pocketed and brought home to be studied further. In the summer when there is so much competing, I have to work harder to be still and for my eye to notice the little things I seek.

The beauty of nature is that it’s constantly changing so if you keep looking you will always find something of inspiration and you never have to travel far.

Legume 1 Hand Drawn Monotype Print by Kathy Hutton

You are based in Wiltshire, does the area local to you influence your work at all?

I love living in Wiltshire with its proximity to open countryside and urban cultural areas (which I’m aware I’m not making the most of at the moment with my youngest daughter still being so young). I’m very lucky to live nearby to our National Arboretum which is a constant source of inspiration and great for getting the children involved in finding treasures.

However as I tend to draw inspiration from the little details rather than the overall landscape, I’m happy exploring fields, mountains and coastline wherever I find myself. My children sometimes get impatient with me when we're off exploring and have been known to shout ‘stop looking at nature’ if I dally behind too long!


Tell me about your studio or creative space.

I’m very lucky to have a studio space at home. It’s fairly large and has big windows on 3 sides so it feels light and airy. It used to have pink carpet, pink rag-rolled walls with pink satin curtains but thankfully now it has a simple painted concrete floor and white walls that are perfect for hanging prints on or just taping up any works in progress. I don’t have any big printing equipment, just a couple of big reclaimed work tables that can be moved around depending on what I’m using them for, allowing me to change the space for workshops or open studios as and when I need to. The space kind of evolves as I go along. I’d love to have a drying rack so I’m keeping my eyes peeled for one as currently I need every bit of table top and floor space I can get to lay out prints between their different drying stages.

Large Stacking Bowl Prints by Kathy Hutton

You run printmaking workshops from your beautiful home studio, is teaching your craft to others important to you?

I love teaching my workshops. I have such a passion for printing that it’s great to share this with others. One of my favourite things is to watch their reaction as they peel back their prints and see them for the first time, it really is a special moment. I love being able to show someone a technique that they can carry on at home. And I’m constantly learning; everyone that comes in my studio brings another view point, another experience, a question that gets me thinking. When you work on your own a lot, this interaction with others is invaluable. At the end of a workshop I will always come away with fresh ideas.


What artists (living or dead) inspire you?

From a very young age the simple pared back line work of Dick Bruna made a big impact on me, he was a master of perfecting the minimal line. Growing up we had some Mid-Winter pottery at home which I always loved and later on I became more aware of my love of ceramics, both their shapes and surface patterns.  I’m especially drawn to the designs created by Jessie Tate and Terrance Conran and the textile designs of Lucienne Day, simplified motifs, use of repeating lines and scratchy marks. I also have a huge love of the open, negative space and simple form found in William Scott’s work. Last year I discovered the beautiful paintings of Rachel Nicolson, her pared down still life’s featuring favourite ceramic pieces are beautiful.
 

Blue Stripe Bowl Print by Kathy Hutton Using Screen-print and Mono-print Techniques

Bowl Study Print by Kathy Hutton Using Screen-print and Mono-print Techniques

I love learning random facts about people, tell me something about yourself.

When I first moved from London to Wiltshire, a scary 16 years ago now, I enrolled on an evening class to learn quilt-making, anyone who has seen me at a sewing machine will think this a very unsuitable art-form for me! However, I think I’m drawn to the bold blocks of colour and simple compositions especially when applied in a less rigid format. If you’re familiar with the incredible work produced by the quilters of Gee’s Bend, you will know what I mean.

You never know, one of these day I might actually finish a quilt of my own!


Finally, where can people follow your work online?

Kathy Hutton Prints on Etsy
www.kathyhutton.com
@kathyhuttonprints on Instagram
@hutton1kathy on Twitter
Kathy Hutton Prints on Facebook
kathyhutton1 on Pinterest


Thank you to Kathy for taking part in my artist interview series. I adore Kathy's use of line and am highly envious of her beautiful studio. Kathy sells her work on her Etsy store and teaches workshops at her studio. Please click the following links to learn more: Kathy Hutton Online Shop / Kathy Hutton Print Workshops.

If you'd like to take part in my artist interviews series then please do get in touch at claireleanneleach@gmail.com. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️

Norway

Norwegian Flag Flying On Top Of Mount Ulriken in Bergen, Norway

Leaving the arrivals hall of Oslo airport we stepped on to the train platform. I dived straight into my little carry-on case to dig out my fluffy pompom topped hat, scarf and gloves, the chill in the air caused our breath to steam, I could already feel the cold biting at my legs. Luckily within minutes the train arrived and we piled on, grabbing a window seat so that we could watch the snow-covered landscape as we passed. From the plane I had noticed how white the landscape was, tall trees were dusted with snow like icing sugar and huge lakes had been frozen over. I wasn't sure if what we'd packed would be enough for a week long wintry trip, but with Norway apparently being one of the most expensive countries to visit in Europe we would have to make do. 

Colourful Buildings of Oslo, Norway

A Tram in Oslo, Norway

We arrived at Oslo Sentrum Station and walked to our hotel, once we'd layered up we went out for a walk and to find a bite to eat. Oslo seemed modern for the most part with beautifully historic buildings dotted around, it was eerily quiet and unlike any capital city that we had visited before. There were scatterings of ice on the ground, trams and buses wound their way through the streets. We found a burger joint called Tommi's to eat an early dinner, the sloppy veggie burgers and salty fries were delicious, at £30 for the meal with soft drinks we could see how prices were a little steeper than back home. We took a walk around the streets, ventured in bookshops and eyed up the windows of pretty plant-filled home stores before wandering along a snowy path to Akershus Fortress where we saw the beautiful setting sun over the harbour. 

The Scream by Edvard Munch in The National Gallery, Oslo in Norway

Detail Of White Night By Edvard Munch in The National Gallery, Oslo in Norway

The next day we grabbed breakfast at a sweet cafe before popping to the National Gallery opposite. The museum showcased Greek and Roman sculptures, paintings in oil by Cranach and landscapes by Impressionist painters. The star gallery was of course the room devoted to Edvard Munch, Norway's most famous artist. Seeing eerie The Scream in real life was interesting but my favourite piece in the room was Madonna. We left the hustle of the museum and took a walk past the Royal Palace towards Vigeland Park, as we walked the 4 kilometres through residential streets lined with colourful wooden houses snow started to fall, it was so peaceful. We encountered a handful of locals walking their dogs and a couple of wheel spinning cars trying to plough through the snow drifts. The park was a huge blanket of white, children were sledding down any hill they could find and couples walked hand in hand. The sculptures by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland were exquisite, made in iron and granite they depicted the human form in a myriad of different shapes, sizes and poses. I managed to persuade Craig to strike the same pose as one of the sculptures, despite embarrassment I had a go too and giggles ensued. With snow still falling we took a walk through the tree lined avenues and then returned to the city centre where we stumbled upon San Francisco Soup Bowl; a new cafe serving filled bread bowls, the kind that we had eaten on a trip to Reykjavik. I had macaroni cheese in a bread bowl while Craig had a vegan curry soup. Both were delicious and exactly what our bodies needed to warm up.

Sculptures in Vigeland Park in Oslo, Norway

Sculpture in Vigeland Park in Oslo, Norway

The next morning we woke bright and early for our train to Bergen. As the train smoothly glided through tunnels the landscape changed from urban to tree littered countryside and isolated wooden shacks to bleak and beautiful white noise. Cups of tea and a cinnamon bun from the cafe carriage kept us going through the six and a half hour journey, on reaching Bergen the sky had changed to cloudless blue. We arrived at the station and wheeled our cases through the town, past the park and up a cobblestone street to our apartment which was the bottom floor of a traditional Norwegian wooden house. We had decided to get an apartment rather than a hotel so that we could cook the majority of our meals in an effort to save money, that budget backpacker mentality doesn't ever go away! We strolled to the local mini-market and bought supplies which was just like when we were travelling as we had to work out what was worth buying and what meals we could create from very little. 

On The Oslo to Bergen Train Journey in Norway

On The Oslo to Bergen Train Journey in Norway

We had decided that our first activity in Bergen should be to take the funicular railway to the top of Mount Floyen which is what we did. The views from the top were outstanding though the ice on the paths made it a little treacherous to walk around, I clung on to Craig's arm for dear life and didn't let go. We decided to take a walk through the snowy woodland which felt like stepping into Narnia, luckily we managed to hash together a route that avoided too many slippery sections. A lot of locals were out walking/skiing with their dogs as it was such a brilliantly sunny day, our lunch spot on a half snow-covered bench overlooking trees and distant fjords was stunning.

A Winter Wonderland On Top Of Mount Floyen in Bergen, Norway

A Winter Wonderland On Top Of Mount Floyen in Bergen, Norway

We walked further, reaching a pathway that we couldn't travel any further on as it has been blocked by an avalanche. Instead we followed a route to the right, stopping to admire huge icicles that had formed on a rock face. Our final stop before turning back was at a viewpoint which overlooked the vast landscape, snow covered winding roads, forests and the other mountains of Bergen including Mount Ulriken, the tallest. We returned to city level and walked along the waterfront to the historic row of wooden shops and pubs known as Bryggen.

A Snowy Walk On Top Of Mount Floyen in Bergen, Norway

On Top Of Mount Floyen in Bergen, Norway

The next morning we got up and out the door early to take a three hour cruise through Osterfjorden to Mostraumen. We bought our tickets at the quay and boarded the sleek modern catamaran. Inside was kept warm and cosy, as we left the harbour with Bryggen on our right we saw huge ships and cruise liners, as we got further from the city we noticed little caves in the coastline, rickety wooden steps leading to colourful boathouses and grand houses perched on cliff edges. The fjord began to narrow so we ventured out onto the deck, the air was bitingly cold and the wind meant I had to keep hold of the bobble on my hat as I was scared it would blow away. The views were stunning, especially the perfect reflections on the water as the boat slowed right down. From the front we could see the bow breaking ice on the water, a waterfall right in front of us had completely frozen. We slowly turned around and made our way back to Zachariasbryggen, Bergen's harbour. We retreated inside the cabin with a hot chocolate to warm up for the return journey.

Osterfjorden to Mostraumen Cruise in Bergen, Norway

Osterfjorden to Mostraumen Cruise in Bergen, Norway

Once on dry land we went for a wander along cobblestone streets to see an historic side of the city; traditional houses, quaint little squares and maze-like walkways and steps. We ended the walk by going through a commercial area right by the waters edge and had a picnic lunch on the quay right by where our catamaran had docked. 

Walking In Search Of Colourful Houses in Bergen, Norway

Walking In Search Of Colourful Houses in Bergen, Norway

On our last full day in Bergen we were unsure what to do at first. It was another clear, blue sky morning. We had contemplated going out on another boat to see more of the surrounding area but decided instead to venture to the outskirts of town to catch the Ulriken643 cable car to the top of Bergen's highest mountain; Mount Ulriken. As we sailed up in the little yellow car we got chatting to a local man who was going to ski from the top of Ulriken all the way to Mount Floyen where we had visited earlier in the week. We wished him luck and waved him off before taking a look at the amazing views of the city and fjords below. We could see for absolutely miles. The ground was incredibly snowy underfoot and quite slippery too. We decided to take a little walk out in the snow which was easier said than done. Occasionally our foot would land in a deep patch of snow and be completely covered, it was a real workout trying to get anywhere. We slid down one section on our bums to avoid slipping over and carried on trudging until we found a perfect spot by a lonely hut to eat lunch. With the sun beating down and us out of breath from the walk it didn't even seem cold, I think it may have been the most beautiful little lunch spot that we have found on our travels. We walked a little further though I was wary of going too far knowing just how strenuous the walk back would be where we'd have to go up the steep hill we'd just slid/walked down. While I sat on a snowless rock in the sun Craig walked on for a couple of minutes, I watched him get further and further away, eventually I could no longer hear anything except my own breath, there was complete blissful silence. I watched as Craig took photographs of the views , a couple of walkers passed by kitted out in heavy snowshoes. Craig returned and we began the walk back which seemed easier as we found a forged pathway of compacted snow which was more slippery but less exhausting to walk on. After practically crawling on our hands and knees up the steep icy hill we made it back to where we'd started. It was hard to leave, the lack of people, beautiful quiet and commanding views were hypnotising. After one last look around we took the cable car back down. We made our way back to town and walked from the bus station past the huge half frozen lake to our neighbourhood. 

The City Of Bergen As Seen From Mount Uliriken, Norway

Distant Fjords and Trees on Top of Mount Ulriken in Bergen, Norway

It had come to our last day, our flight was at 7pm but we had to vacate our characterful apartment by 12pm so we enjoyed a leisurely morning with a homemade cooked breakfast before leaving with our cases in tow. We walked to cafe Klosteret Kaffebar which I'd found on TripAdvisor. We'd hoped to be able to while away a couple of hours there but it was packed to the rafters. It was a small cafe with photographs of famous musicians on the walls, a stack of board games and pretty lights. We found a table and enjoyed a coffee and creamy hot chocolate before leaving to take a walk to a park right on the waters edge. We sat on a bench in the sun with a view through trees to water and the coast opposite, small boats would glide past every now and again. We ended our trip with a very unglamorous fast food late-lunch purely due to the fact that other restaurants were too expensive or annoyingly closed before catching a coach to the airport. 

Snowy Trails and a Lonely Lodge on Mount Ulriken in Bergen, Norway

The Yellow Cable Car to Mount Unlriken in Bergen, Norway

Our wonderful six nights away in Norway had encompassed everything that we had wanted, galleries, eateries and park life in Oslo, one of the worlds most beautiful train journeys, two snowy mountain adventures and a trip out on the water to see fjords too. Thank you so much to my love Craig for organising such a perfect and memorable trip to celebrate my thirtieth birthday. 

Craig and I On Top Of Bergen's Highest Mountain; Ulriken

A Handful of Hopefully Helpful Hints:

• Oslo Airport, Gardermoen has a train station underneath, you can buy a train ticket to take you to Oslo Sentrum (Central) easily from a ticket machine in the Arrivals Hall. 
• The Tourist Information Point in Bergen is next to the fish market on the harbour, there is a huge range of leaflets to take and tours can be booked from here.
• The Mostraumen cruise is a more affordable way of seeing the coast and fjord landscape, tickets can be bought directly on the quay where the catamaran leaves or from the Tourist Information Point.
• Ulriken643 cable car is on the outskirts of the city, buses leave from the Xhibition centre, make sure you buy your bus ticket from the bus stop ticket machine as the bus driver charges much more, there is a ticket machine at bus stop for the return journey too. 
• Our bus driver alerted us to the Ulriken643 stop but it felt like we'd been dropped in the middle of nowhere, cross the road and either walk to the left where the road sweeps uphill to the right or do what we did and go right and then left up a slope and lots of steps past the hospital. If you look you'll see the cable car so just walk in the general direction and you'll find it. I believe there is a direct bus that connects the cable car to the city but this wasn't running when we went and the general bus is easy if you ask the bus driver to let you know when to jump off.  

If you're planning a trip or want to know any more then please don't hesitate to get in touch. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️

Thirty

Flowers For My Thirtieth 

I wanted to write something about turning thirty because it felt like a bit of a big deal, entering another decade, a milestone. I kept putting it off because it seemed a little self indulgent and also, is thirty actually a big deal? Now that I am thirty I don't feel any different, in fact, internally I still feel like I'm in my early twenties. I haven't got the responsibilities that many thirty-somethings do have, like a mortgage, a marriage or children, maybe that's why I still feel relatively young and carefree? Despite this I do feel like I am a little wiser than I was in my twenties and so even with my reservations I decided that I did want to write something down, if only to have a few words to look back on in years to come.

The feeling of being wiser boils down to three main things that I've learned and that have helped me find peace in my life, I'm sharing those three things here. They are personal so forgive me for exposing some of my deepest feelings, being open and honest takes courage. 

Learning To Forgive

The following isn't news, I've touched upon it before, it has even informed my art work. In order to explain what I've learned I have to tell a bit of a story. My parents separated when I was seven, my dad left to live with another family. My brother and I continued to see our dad and we continued to live in the house with our mum that he paid the mortgage on even though he wasn't there anymore. Years later when my brother and I had reached adulthood he decided to sell the house so that he could forge a new life by buying a property of his own. I took it hard. When you feel like you're being pushed out of the home that you spent nearly 20 years in, where all of your childhood memories are, it hurts deeply. Upset turned to anger and I didn't speak to my dad for a long time. Even though there was rationality to what he was doing, I couldn't see it. I was annoyed that while he was using the house-sale to fund buying a beautiful home in an idyllic part of England, my mum, brother and I had to move from a village into a small house in an estate location in town. It felt unfair, like we were going backwards. My resentment was painful, it ate me up. I hated not being able to talk to my dad but at the same time I couldn't forgive what he was doing, all those heavy feelings from childhood came flooding back and the only way I could deal with it was to ignore him, to stay silent when he was there, to avoid him altogether. 

We moved into our new house and some months later dad came round to say goodbye as he was moving to a new home in a county over four hours drive away. As he turned to walk out the door my emotions got the better of me, tears welled up and I couldn't take it anymore. The bitterness that I'd lived with for years was too much to bear, I decided there and then to forgive him and to work at having a father/daughter relationship again. It wasn't easy and there are still times when I think about how different our lives could have been if we'd stayed together as a family but I try not to let those thoughts interfere with reality. Broken families are so normal that it's heartbreaking and my story is similar to so many. When feelings are hurt and lives are changed it can be easier to block out the emotions and ignore the problem but in my case it made me too sad. Life is too short to hold on to grudges and I feel much better having a relationship with my dad. In my case learning to forgive has been freeing.

My Own Path

Deciding to be an artist, to travel and to do things my own way has not been easy. When I was younger I thought I would do certain things by a certain age; mortgage by 28, child by 30. I didn't anticipate that I'd take a year out to study a Fine Art MA or that travel would make my heart sing so much that I'd go on two long backpacking trips. Mortgages and children take sacrifices and I was too busy enjoying the freedom of not having those things. But living life this way did make me question myself, no one else in my family had done this. Was I doing life the wrong way round? It seemed like adult life should follow a set route; marriage, a mortgage, then children, then once the mortgage was paid and the children had grown you could start enjoying yourself. But personally I was too impatient and worried that I wouldn't make it to retirement age, a little morbid but that's just how my brain works. What if I spent my life working and paying bills only to keel over before I got to see the world and enjoy pottering around? I had worried that I was being left behind in the life stakes, with friends and peers owning homes, having good careers and making family plans before me. But I came to the realisation that I wasn't doing anything wrong, neither were those living life the opposite way to me. With time I realised that we're all doing what we think is best for us, we all want different things out of life and we all have our own ideas about what makes a good life too. I'm moving into my thirties feeling happy and content with what I have achieved so far and excited for what's to come. 

Self-acceptance

Shyness, introversion and being overly sensitive. All me, and all things that I've found painful growing up. Being an INFJ personality type who is also shy and a bit socially awkward is something that I've beat myself up over in the past. I've told myself to try and be more outgoing, to go and start a conversation with that person, to 'get out of my shell'. But I like my shell, I like my own company and quiet moments to think and daydream. Rather than try and change my whole personality I decided to embrace it. Reading up on what introversion means and finding similar souls on social media has definitely helped. I will always be that shy freckled girl, hiding away at a party, letting everyone else talk. I will always be the listener, the quiet thinker who doesn't always feel comfortable in groups of three or more. That's alright, if you're happy with yourself even if you are a little different then brilliant, don't try and change. 

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Forgiveness, forging my own path and accepting myself. It feels like I have come a long way over the last decade and a bit of adulthood. As I'm a few days into a brand new decade I am going to take what I have learned and expand on them, with the hope that the older I get the more I can learn about the world and about myself too.

Any thoughts or comments are most welcome but please remember that I am a real person, putting my heart on my sleeve and speaking from my own experiences and learnings. My writing isn't perfect but I hope you can understand the gist of what I am trying to say and I'd love to know if you have any wisdom to share. Be kind, always. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️