5 minute read
Live Ribble Valley Issue 135 September 2022
CALLIGRAPHER KATE
Creating beautiful pieces of art on everything from walls to leather jackets, Kate Mottershaw is also a skilled calligrapher who runs workshops in the Ribble Valley, Manchester and London
The writing was always on the wall for young artist Kate Mottershaw, whose interest in typography and calligraphy has led her into a career that is all encompassing when it comes to beautiful, creative artwork.
Originally from Whalley, she attended Ribblesdale High School and Clitheroe Royal Grammar Sixth Form before studying art and design at Leeds: “I was always getting mocked for showing my work on Instagram,” she recalls.
“I have always been creative – I just love making anything that I consider to be pretty! I was never interested in abstract art, I like to see things how they are,” adds Kate who, after leaving university, worked in retail, while spending every weekend back in the Ribble Valley creating beautiful wall art for local shops and boutiques.
“My dad is a primary school teacher and walking into one of his classrooms is like walking into an imaginarium! Both my parents have always pushed me to follow my dream,” says Kate, who has created a strong social media presence to promote her work.
“Everything I do is arty, I do wall art, window displays, paint leather jackets and shoes and I also do wedding stationery.”
Having studied the art of calligraphy for five years, Kate now runs calligraphy workshops as well as running her own online courses, retailing her own-brand calligraphy kits and developing her own coloured inks.
“The ink is just the right consistency for creating the thick and thin lines needed in calligraphy,” she explains.
Kate learnt calligraphy from home online but always wished she had attended an actual class, so this prompted her to set up her own workshops for up to 18 people in the Ribble Valley, mostly at Mitton Hall, further afield in Manchester and soon-to-be London, where she will run her first class in EL&N, a boutique café next to Harrods.
“The venues have to be just right – it has to be perfect! I set a theme for each class. I am very interested in how things look and I want the class to be a really enjoyable creative event, not just a workshop.
“A recent class was garden-themed and we had sunflowers in the middle and everyone went away with a goody bag so they can continue learning at home,” says
Kate, who is set to theme her September class on the blockbuster Bridgerton series, which will include worksheets themed around Lady Whistledown’s newspaper, music from the show and regal table decor to match.
Her online Instagram workshops – Wednesdays We Ink (a spin-off from Mean Girls’ Wednesdays We Wear Pink) attracts people from all over the UK and she is currently developing a platform on YouTube showing regular vlogs and calligraphy tutorials as well as recommending products: “Learning calligraphy is really interesting. There are different pens and nibs and different ways of holding them. We learn about mark-making, up and down strokes, certain flourishes and letter formation at beginner, intermediate and advanced level. After attending my class I see lots of people creating their own wedding stationery, menu boards for their business and beautifully written gift tags and envelopes for presents.
“I want everyone who attends my workshops, in person or online, to have a lovely experience,” enthuses Kate, who always asks attendees to write honest reviews.
“So far, I have received five stars, which is great!”
Aside from her calligraphy Kate does all her own website design, photography, social media and video editing as well as being kept busy with various artistic commissions including bespoke wedding stationery, invitations, menus and place cards as well as ‘Just Married’, hen party and festival leather jackets and shoes: “You can literally write or draw on anything! I specialise in floral art and I have recently been commissioned to do a good number of leather jackets, which have gone all over the UK.”
Kate recently spotted a $15,000 silver Dolce and Gabbana dress online, worn by social media celebrity Kylie Jenner which features a hand-painted, floral design: “I bought a £5 faux leather dress online and decided to try and replicate it. I really made it my own, it was very detailed,” says Kate, who wore the dress during a weekend away and posted pictures on Instagram: “The post has got 21,949 views so far! There were a lot of really positive comments.”
Retail spaces, offices and private homes have all benefited from Kate’s distinctive wall art too: “I love making spaces bright and beautiful.”
Kate has recently started to wholesale her greetings cards and wrapping paper, which are now available in the Emporium interiors shop in Clitheroe.
“While I have always been arty, I never thought it could lead to a full-time job but now I have my own business and I love it!” •
kate-illustrate.co.uk
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