Kate Braine
"I have always been fascinated by the many species of creatures beneath the sea that man still has no chance of seeing. I allow my imagination to run wild, imagining what monsters or sea creatures could be lurking in the depth of the ocean. All my pots are based around plants, monsters and sea creatures and I try to bring them to life through my pottery. People are always excited as it is as though these monsters are walking and moving and very much alive! I love bringing my imagination to life especially through clay."
Kate Braine is a London based artist, who practices a wide range of mediums, including pottery, sculpture and design. Born in London and having studied sculpture at City & Guilds School of Art, Kate’s career centred on bronze portrait busts and body casts. Kate’s subsequent courses in ceramics at the Park Walk and Marlborough schools, led her to a fascination with pottery and clay. Having produced ceramics over the past two decades, Kate has now become a full time potter.
Kate has created portrait busts of well-known figures, including Sir David Tang, Ian Board and Francis Bacon.
Kate produced a full-scale body cast of music legend, David Bowie, which was later shown at The Gallery in Cork Street within his one man exhibition. Kate was also commissioned by Felix Dennis to produce a life-size sculpture of Chuck Berry. In addition, Kate’s works have featured in exhibitions at Argile Gallery, Art for Mayfair and The Mall Galleries and have appeared in a number of charity auctions.
In addition, Kate founded iconic jewellery company, Legge and Braine, with Charlotte Legge in 2003, following their time together at City & Guilds School of Art.
Education
1983
3 months marble carving in Carrara, Italy
1984
Heatherley’s Foundation Course, London
1985/88
City & Guilds School of Art, Diploma Course in Sculpture, London
1989/94
Park Walk School, Chelsea – Ceramics course B-Tech Level 1
1994/99
Marlborough School, Chelsea – Ceramics course B-Tech level 2
2003/04
Set-up of Legge and Braine jewellery company
2015/18
Kings Gate Workshops Ceramics Studio, Kilburn
Awards
The Wincott Financial Times Sculpture Award
Exhibitions
1987
Affordable Art, London
1989
Birch and Conran Gallery, London - Commissioned bust of Ian Board
1990
Wintershall Gallery, Surrey
1990
Berkley Square Gallery, London
1991
Argyle Gallery, London - Portrait Head Show
1991
Rhino Rock Wildlife Trust - Sculpture auctioned at Bonhams, London
1993
Art for Mayfair, London
1994
The Gallery, Cork Street - Joint sculpture with David Bowie for his one man show
1996
150 Year Anniversary Exhibition Heatherley, The Mall Galleries, London
1997
Sixteen Sculptors Sladmore contemporary, London
1998
Colony Room Club 50th Anniversary Art Exhibition
2019
Ceramics at 11 Avenue Studios, London
2021
House of Pots
2022
2022
Solo
1988
Glebe Place Gallery, London
2019
Catherine Prevost, London
Sculpture Commissions
Series of portrait busts including: Saffron Aldridge, Francis Bacon, Robin Birley, Ian Board, Darius Guppy, Pierre Edgy-Winkler , Albert Louden, William Shakespeare, David Tang, Colin Wilson
Sculpture Auction sales
1993
Christie’s – Post War and Contemporary British Paintings and Watercolours and 20th Century British Sculpture, Head of Francis Bacon
1995
Christie’s – Post War and Contemporary British Art, 1995, Portrait Bust of Ian Board