Kate Lincoln is a painter-turned-potter who brings together form, surface, and color to create playful illustrated functional ware and experimental vessels. Combining familiar and whimsical iconography and classic design principles, Kate creates one-of-a-kind pieces with a balanced, maximalist aesthetic. She earned a BA in Art History and Studio Art from Mount Holyoke College and an MA in Educational Psychology and Colorado K-12 Art teaching License from the University of Colorado, Denver. Their professional background includes work in nonprofits, education, and mental health. In the midst of a series of challenging life transitions, Kate reconnected with a lifelong calling to create and discovered clay in September 2021. Kate Lincoln Art launched in summer 2022 and her work can be found at a growing number of art galleries and at katelincolnart.com. In addition to making, Kate has been a studio manager and wheelthrowing instructor and has hosted surface treatment workshops, sharing her passion for the endless possibilities of the clay.
Artist Statement
I spent most of my artistic life as a painter, exploring color through portraits, landscapes, and abstract works. Shifting into a utilitarian medium--ceramics--unlocked a facet of my artistic voice and process that had been untapped until a few years ago. Ceramics found me in the most difficult chapter of my life and at a time when I was seeking new channels to tap into self and find meaningful connections in nature and community. As a result, my pieces aim to serve as a conduit for connection, self-reflection, and joy. I believe that each individually-considered and -created piece finds the person who can tap into, benefit from, and work with the energy of that piece.
In creating functional work, I consider not only how one might interact with the piece but also how the surface might enhance and influence that experience, foster connection with self and others, and evoke a connection with the natural world. In response to the individual and collective need for comfort, meaning, joy, and whimsy, I have developed a balanced maximalist aesthetic that speaks to the inner child and captures magic and harmony within the unpredictable, organic natural world. Ceramics has given me a channel to explore color, shape, form, and craftsmanship while connecting with the grounding and healing power of art making. I appreciate being engaged in every part of the making process from preparing clay and working with raw materials to forming vessels to exploring surface to making intentional choices in glazing and firing. In persisting through the process of learning how to work with clay, in experiencing failure and struggle and tension, magical pieces emerge that are designed to enhance individual and everyday rituals and bring joy and connection in community.
