To find that an artist lives on an island might seem idyllic, in the classical sense, but that indeed is the case with London based artist Kate MccGwire, whose unique and naturalistic art is really staring to be noticed. What gives her art a singular effect is her choice of materials, which by their very nature allow Kate to give fluidity of apparent motion to her incredible sculptures. The things that give birds the ability to fly perform equally well in art. Discarded Pigeon feathers, by the bucketload, become living sculptures in her enchanted hands. 
When I asked her why she became a sculptor, she explained that she started drawing and painting in art school
and discovered she was attracted by matter and more at ease doing things with her fingers. She then entered the Royal College of Art and completed her Master’s degree in sculpture. Kate, born in 1964 in Norwich, studied, as a mature student at the London Royal College of Art. She started off drawing and painting but quickly realized that her passion really lay with tactile disciplines. Turning happily to sculpture, she thrived and her MA degree installation ’Brood‘ went on show at the Saatchi Gallery in 2004., after her graduation. She was awarded the ShengHua residency in China in 2006, followed in 2008 by the Art Omi residency in New York. 
Also in 2008, she won London’s Heart of Glass competition, Her piece being chosen in preference to 33 others, which resulted in her holding a solo show in May 2010. During 2009 her work had been shown at The New London School Berlin, Tunnel 228 with Punch Drunk and The Age of the Marvelous with All Visual Arts. She created an amazing large-scale installation for the Museum of Art and Design, New York in April 2010. Her choice of Pigeon feathers is based partly on the fact that they are regarded as ‘dirty’ by many, the host birds seen as pests, and Kate likes the idea of working with materials that have ‘connotations’ before she starts. Just as Magpies are seen as the thieves of the bird world, and like Crows bearers of bad omens, so Dove feathers are symbolic of love and purity. It is the underlying sense of mysterious association which gives feathers such appeal for her. 
Kate has her studio, a 20m Dutch Barge moored on a semi-derelict island in the river Thames. When she walks over the wooden pedestrian bridge to it, it is as if she were entering a different world. Her inspiration, she claims, is gleaned from multiple sources – definitely bodily, animal and human and ultimately the world around her. She began picking up moulted pigeon feathers about three years ago, amassing a collection of about 400 within a short time, but quickly acknowledging, given their artistic potential for larger scale pieces, that she would really need thousands of them. 
She began by contacting Pigeon racing clubs and enthusiasts asking for their help, and three years later has a loyal band of over 200 followers that regularly send envelopes full of feathers through her letterbox. Strangely though, her workspace on the barge is very clean and uncluttered. This may be due to a serious fire having destroyed much of her work in 2009, after which she had a period of re-building. Her studio now is a clean white space, and with two curious teenage sons, she likes to keep it that way. The real beauty of the island where her barge is moored, at least for Kate herself, is that nature has reclaimed much of it. Only the occasional bird of prey troubles the wildlife, and she has plenty of feather supplies from the island pigeon flock. Indeed, Kate seems, through her fabulous work, to question the concept of beauty itself, deliberately working with materials that emphasize the short-lived essence of loveliness before the inevitable decay. 
Of course each separate work requires an enormous amount of preparation. Feathers must be cleaned and sorted, graded for size and colour, then stored in different boxes ready for use. Kate cannot say whether she works at creating beauty or if it simply appears as the natural outcome of the piece she happens to be working on. She draws an outline of a shape then uses the feathers to best effect as she sees it, and the result, is always utterly breath-taking, as if intrinsic beauty is there were a curse she can do nothing about. In March 2009, one of Kate’s early works, called ‘Rile’ was bought by a major English art collector, Anna Zabludowicz , after being shown at Sotheby’s prior to the Gothic auction organised by the Contemporary Art Society. She is, by her own admission, influenced by female artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Mona Hatoum and Doris Salcedo, all contemporary sculptures, and has at last been recognized as a promising artist in her own right. Her works deservedly feature prominently in several major Collections, in Europe the Middle East and the USA. 
This busy and talented lady also loves to sing, and belongs to a choir, raising money for numerous charities. They toured South Africa, raising enough money to build a medical center within in a township, something of which Kate is justifiably proud. When you look through the gallery of images in this article, marveling at the intricacy and delicacy of Kate’s astonishing work, just ponder for a moment the almost fluid hypnotic illusion of movement that seems to pervade every piece. This is a genuine superstar in the artistic firmament, and who knows what delight we shall experience in future, enraptured by her glorious art? 
My sincere thanks to Kate MccGwire for giving me permission to use images and information from her website as detailed in the e-mail below – Sorry Tony, been frantically busy – thanks for asking, yes no problem you can use my images and info front the website. Thanks for your interest. Kate Other sources http://www.juxtapoz.com/Features/fly-away-with-kate-mccgwire-exclusive-interview http://thepandorian.com/forum/portrait-of-an-artist-kate-mccgwire-by-virginie-puertolas-syn/
