Kathryn E Lovejoy

Illustrations · Bookplates · Paintings · Commissions


Thank you for visiting my artist profile

I have been a professional working artist since 2009. In January 2023, I made the intentional decision to remove all images of my artwork from this online gallery in response to ongoing concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in digital image reproduction and data collection.

At the same time, I also chose to step away from social media across all platforms. These spaces had become increasingly distracting and unsettling, and stepping back has allowed me to devote more time and focus to my studio practice.

If you are a collector or curator, and interested in viewing my work or learning more, I welcome your enquiry.

Creative Process

My creative process is rooted in traditional, hands-on techniques. I work primarily with professional-grade watercolours, acrylics, and inks, applying them by hand to achieve rich texture and depth. I use only the highest quality materials, including fine German Hahnemühle archival canvases and 100% cotton papers. These surfaces allow for vibrant colour retention and ensure the longevity of each piece. My approach is deliberate and tactile, emphasising the connection between artist, medium, and material.

Commissions

I welcome commission enquiries and invite you to contact me with the subject or concept you're interested in. Every commissioned piece is a personal collaboration and I work closely and discreetly with each client to understand their vision and preferences. Together, we'll develop an artwork that aligns with your aesthetic and budget, resulting in a meaningful piece that you'll truly treasure. Please feel free to contact me for your art related questions.

Kathryn L.


About Me

Article 2014 - The Artist Showcase, Magazine issue # Spring, Pittsford, NY14534


Commissioned work

Progress image

Concepts are quick and rough; keeping all my ideas and sketches in a box.

Dancing Fial - concept sketch

Final painting and inspiration

The dancing goats; based upon the legend of Kaldi, an ancient Ethiopian goatherd who discovered the coffee plant around 850 CE. Kaldi observed his goats dancing energetically after consuming the bright red berries from a particular tree in the Ethiopian highlands.

Hand-drawn, hand-painted, inks, acylics, watercolours.

Dancing Fial - final artwork


Bookplate commission

Personal bookplate-(ex-libris) commissioned by Professor Mark Ferson, President of The New Australian Bookplate Society.

Progress image

Hand-drawn, ink.

Sacred Kingfisher of Australia - progress image

Final bookplate

Hand-drawn, hand-painted, inks, acrylics, watercolours.

Sacred Kingfisher of Australia - final bookplate

Testimonial

I saw some of Kathryn’s work and thought she had perfect skills in design and lettering to make a bookplate for me. When I contacted Kathryn, she was enthusiastic about undertaking the commission. I explained what I was looking for: a bookplate featuring an Australian species of kingfisher to mark the books in my small collection on kookaburras and other kingfishers. It took only a few conversations and a draft for Kathryn to have the hand-painted and lettered bookplate beautifully executed. The final design displayed the vibrant colours I was looking for together with legible lettering, which I think is an essential component of a good bookplate.

M. Ferson


Girraween, A Visual Journey

This photograph was taken on a bush-walk through Girraween National Park, capturing the dramatic, sculptural roots of a fallen tree. Twisted and exposed, the tree’s intricate form felt like a frozen moment of nature’s resilience and decay. It sparked a powerful emotional response for me, as though the tree held the spirit of an old man watching over the forest.

Inspiration - Fallen tree at the Girraween National Park

In this early drawing, I began exploring the emotional presence I sensed from the tree. A stylised form suggests a figure emerging from the trunk - an old man's spirit intricately interwoven with the branches. Water droplets float around him, symbolising the essence that sustains life in the forest. The marks convey both fragility and strength.

Concept drawing - Old Man Spirit

The completed piece reveals the full complexity of the tree’s imagined inner world. Intricate patterns, concentric rings, and layered textures echo the natural growth rings of a tree, telling its unseen story. Faces, eyes, and flowing organic shapes emerge from the composition, inviting you to contemplate the memory, energy, and spirit that lives within the land and its trees.

Hand-drawn, ink.

The Inner Life of the Tree - final artwork


Girraween National Park

I love bush walking.


Commissioned work

Following on here is a canvas painting, and commissioned work. The original concept was drawn at Bribie Island, Queensland. Twelve years later, the concept became a painting. This project was particularly complex, requiring me to translate the concept into a painting and adhere to a specified colour palette. On completion of the work in my hometown of Brisbane, the painting is sealed and de-stretched, rolled and professionally packed. Delivery arrived to the new owner’s door within a week. The canvas art piece is re-assembled by the local framer in Amsterdam.

Bribie Island Heron - Photo # 1, courtesy of the new owners.

Bribie Island Heron - Photo # 2, courtesy of the new owners.

Bribie Island Heron - Photo # 3, courtesy of Martin Barry, owner of Brisbane Digital Images, Milton QLD

Hard to say goodbye, five months work.


Member of


I love making art,

Kathryn E Lovejoy