Born in North Carolina in 1958, Kate Downie studied fine art at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. She is currently president of the Society of Scottish Artist, and artistic director of Interchange, Aberdeen-based vision consultants for the integration of Art, Industry and Commerce.
Kate Downie has exhibited widely over the past 22 years. Over that time she has worked in painting, drawing, photography, collage, installation, performance art, filmmaking, and murals. Her current work includes exploration of river and estuary bridges through giant drawings, installation and film work. She is also researching images of “new Scotland”, an investigation through drawing into the phenomena of new civil engineering and building projects in this country.

Statement
My work is both public and personal. Whilst the majority of my work is defined by geography or subject, I view myself as a conceptual expressionist. I draw in the public arena because I must; it is my way of exploring how the world works. I seek to establish a fragile counterbalance between function and emotion, and place myself in the midst of action as a still point in the flux.
What happens to those drawings, how they become transposed into ideas, perceptions, or merely a distillation of memories, is entirely my own affair. I have been very lucky, in that what I like to do most is what many people enjoy looking at.

Contact
20 Boswall Ave
Edinburgh EH5 2EB
katedownie@blueyonder.co.uk

Born in North Carolina, USA, 1958. Studied Fine Art at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen 1975-80. Lived and worked in USA, 1980; Amsterdam, 1983-84 and Paris, 1988-89.
Based in Edinburgh.
Vice President of the Society of Scottish Artists, 1999-2000.
President of the Society of Scottish Artists, 2004

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2003 Routes des Travaux: Gallerie La Marge, Ajaccio, Corsica. Festival of Scottish Culture.
Titanic Shores: Gracefield Studios, Dumfries.
2002 The Vanished Road: Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen
2001 East – recent work by Kate Downie: Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh.
1999 The Bridge: The Project Room, Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh.
Intaglio Paintings and Prints: Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh.
1997 Dusk Electric: Thornton-Bevan Arts, London.
New Landscapes: Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh.
1995 Deviant Taxis: Colour Monoprints, Strathfest ’95. Cogarth Castle, Aberdeenshire.
WASPS Studio Gallery, Edinburgh Festival.
1993-96 The Mother Pool: The People’s Palace, Glasgow
and a major UK Tour of Museums and Galleries.
1990-91 Urban Circus: Tour - Collins Gallery, Glasgow; Cleveland Gallery, Middlesbrough;
McManus Gallery, Dundee and Artspace Gallery, Aberdeen.
1987 New Paintings: Galleri Grijsdalen, Denmark & Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2003 Moving Solutions – SSA: Bonhoga Gallery, Shetland.
SSA Select: The Park Gallery, Falkirk.
Sons and Mothers: Collins Gallery, Glasgow.
Interactions: co-publication project & exhibition at Edinburgh Printmakers.
2002 Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.
2001/2 Glasgow Art Fair: Glasgow.
2000 Living Proof, Joyce Gunn-Cairns & Kate Downie: Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh.
Printmaking Present: Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries.
1999/2000 Cleveland Drawing Biennial. (European Tour).
1999 A Sense of Identity: Department of International Development, East Kilbride.
Girl Power: Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen.
The Fine Art of Medicine: Hunterian Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.
1998 Twin Images II: The Fine Art Society, London.
1997 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
1996/7 The Motor Show - Powered Vehicles in British Painting. UK Tour.
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry: Plymouth City Museum & Gallery;
Stockport Art Gallery; Wrexham Arts Centre; Turnpike Gallery, Leigh.
1995 The Discerning Eye: Mall Galleries, London.
Next? Artists, Residencies and Hospitals: Tour. City Arts Centre, Edinburgh;
Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Stirling; Lillie Art Gallery, Milngavie.
1993 Scottish Painting: Flowers East Gallery, London.
Through Women’s Eyes. Contemporary Scottish Women Artists: City Arts Centre, Edinburgh
1992/93 Figure in the City - Urban Themes in new Scottish Painting: Tour.
Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh; Mia Joosten Gallery, Amsterdam; Musiekatelier Kunstactivieten, Maastricht; Y’art & P Gallery, Utrecht; BP Gallery, Brussels; Artspace, Aberdeen & Oriel Gallery, Cardiff.
1992 Adam & Co/Spectator Exhibition: Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (Major Prize-winner).
The Edinburgh Suite – Portfolio of Prints: Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop/Scottish Tour.
1991 SSA Centenary Exhibition: RSA Galleries, Edinburgh; Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries.
1990 Painting the Forth Bridge: 369 Gallery, Edinburgh; Scottish Tour.
1989 Soft Machine: Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop.
57 Degrees 10 Minutes North: Aberdeen Art Gallery; 369 Gallery, Edinburgh

COLLECTIONS
Scottish Arts Council Rietveld Kunst Academie, Amsterdam
Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art City of Edinburgh Council
Cleveland Art Gallery, Middlesbrough HM the Queen
Aberdeen Art Gallery Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow
Kirkaldy Art Gallery and Museum Gray’s School of Art
Museum of London Paintings in Hospitals, Scotland
Aberdeen University Scottish Provident
Edinburgh University Grampian Regional Council
Creswell Maternity Hospital, Dumfries Royal Bank of Scotland
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Allied Breweries
Adam & Co, Merchant Bank British Broadcasting Corporation
Scottish Trades Union Congress East and Midlothian NHS Trust
Moray House College of Education Edinburgh City Arts Centre
Royal Scottish Academy Gracefield Museums and Galleries, Dumfries

TELEVISION
2001 BBC1 News: live coverage of Leith Gable End Mural Painting
BBC Newsnight Scotland: coverage of RSA/SSA Debate
1993 STV News: coverage of From Here to Maternity
1987 Grampian Television: Featured Artist
1985 BBC Scotland: Reporting Scotland – Coastlines Exhibition
1983-84 Central Television: Venture Documentary
3 Artists in Industry – National Broadcast
RADIO Regular contributor to BBC Scotland Arts programmes

TEACHING/WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE
2002-03 Artist in The Big Draw: Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
2002 Lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art department of continuing studies
2001-03 Visiting lecturer, Leith School of Art
Invited artist/workshop leader at multimedia arts project, St Katherine’s & Howdenhall Schools, Edinburgh
2000-01 Visiting artist/workshop tutor at Bonnington PS, Edinburgh for International Anne Frank touring exhibition, City Arts Centre, Edinburgh. 3-D construction, photography, storytelling and drama
2000 Workshops in collage for Old Town, New Story
Adult and student groups in Edinburgh
1997-99 Visiting lecturer, Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen
1996 Workshops in collage, mural design & drawing with Canongate Youth Project,
Royal Mile Primary School & St Ann’s Community Centre (all Edinburgh)
Circle the City Mural Project, Edinburgh
1995 Drawing/Storytelling collaborations
Workshops in coloured acetate panels with Tollcross Primary School, Edinburgh
for Royal Lyceum Theatre Education Project
1993-94 Part-time Lecturer, Edinburgh College of Art
SAC Artists in Schools placement – Commercial Primary School, Dunfermline
1991-93 Part-time Tutor, Leith School of Art, Edinburgh
1992 Visiting lecturer, Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen
Duncan of Jordanston College of Art, Dundee
1991-92 Collage/Mural workshops, Collective Gallery, Edinburgh; Prestonpans Resource Centre
1990-91 Exhibition/Site-specific Workshops: Urban Circus Tour
Collins Gallery, Glasgow; McManus Gallery, Dundee; Artspace Gallery, Aberdeen; Cleveland Gallery, Middlesbrough

RESIDENCY AND PROJECT WORK
1988 Artist in Residence: Alpha B Oil Platform, North Sea. Gray’s School of Art/Total Related Printmaking Residency, Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen.
Safe Harbour: Major Mural Commission, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
1989 Paris: Collaboration with film-maker Jacques Haubois - Child’s Play Traffic Jam.
Film/Painting Installation. Collins Gallery, Glasgow. Glasgow Film Theatre
1992-93 Lux Europa – Windows on Europe: Edinburgh/Kiev/Munich. Collaborative Arts Project with Slide Workshop, Edinburgh as artist/designer; window illuminations in coloured acetate, Edinburgh City Chambers/Lothian Region Headquarters
1993 Invited Artist in Residence, Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital. Funded by Glasgow Museums and Galleries
Invited Artist, Threads of Life International Textile Exhibition, Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow.
1995 Dancing through Glass: Artist/Schools Project. Acetate Installation, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. Funded by The Royal Lyceum and Edinburgh City Council
1996 From the Hills to the Sea. Major painting commission, Gordon Forum for the Arts, Gordon District Council, Aberdeenshire
Lowick House Printmaking Residency, Cumbria
Circle the City. Public Art Commission. Artist/Community collaboration funded by Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited.
1997 New Beginnings. Major painting commission. Paintings in Hospitals, Scotland
1997-98 Invited Artist, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Women’s Centenary Banner Project
Touring Caird Hall, Dundee; Aberdeen Art Gallery; Stirling Smith Gallery, Stirling
1999 Co-publication of limited edition lithograph ‘Span’ with Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop
2000 Invited Artist in Multi-media Public Arts Project/Exhibition
’Old Town, New Story’ at the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh
2001 Installation, ‘A Hiding Place’ for the International Anne Frank Touring |Exhibition at the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh. (see ‘teaching/workshop experience’)
2003 “Interchange”. Environmental art feasibility study, Aberdeen. Funded by Scottish Enterprise.

RESEARCH
2003 Edinburgh Galleries Art Education Programme
Innovative Intaglio Non-toxic Printmaking course, Dumfries Arts Centre

RESEARCH TRAVEL
Venice Biennale
2003 Bilbao Guggenheim
Barcelona
London
Corsica

AWARDS
Greenshield Foundation Scholarship Award (twice); Latimer Award RSA;
Major Painting Prize, RSA Student Exhibition; Scottish Arts Council Bursary, Amsterdam; Aberdeen Artists Exhibition, Major prize Winner 1987; Winner of Artists and Illustrators Magazine Prize, The Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Gallery, London 1995; 1st Prize Spectator/Adams & Co National Art Exhibition/Competition
The Hope Scott Trust Artists Award 2000

PUBLICATIONS/BIBLIOGRAPHY
1990 Urban Circus Exhibition Catalogue. Published by Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde
1991 The First 100 Years. Society of Scottish Artists Publication. Text by Cordelia Oliver
1993 Contemporary Painting in Scotland by Bill Hare. Craftsman House Publishers
1994 Scottish Art in the 20th Century by Duncan MacMillan. Mainstream Publishers
1995 Next? Artists, Residencies & Hospitals. Exhibition Catalogue. City Arts Centre, Edinburgh
1996 Artists & Illustrators Magazine. Featured Artist June 1996
The Motor Show: Urban Themes in British Painting by Oliver Bevan
2000 Allgemeines Kunstlerlexicon, World Biographical Dictionary of Artists
2001 Exhibition Catalogue, ‘East’. Published by University of Edinburgh