Katie Brent

Scabiosa, Hauser and Wirth - Landscape, fields, flowers, nature, countryside

2024

Inspired by the stunning Jurassic coastline and the rolling hills of Somerset and Dorset, Katie Brent’s artwork explores a sense of place, rhythm, and atmosphere. Working expressively with a wide range of media, including oils, acrylics, mixed media, and aquatint printing, her process often begins with photography or on-site sketching to capture the energy and feeling of a specific moment in time. Katie's practice has evolved to embrace botanical inspiration, particularly drawn from the changing life in her own garden during summertime. Her recent work reflects visits to celebrated green spaces such as RHS Wisley and the Hauser Wirth Garden in Bruton, designed by Piet Oudolf. These environments fuel her fascination with natural growth, layered textures, and the quiet power of colour and light. “I’m drawn to the wonder of nature that surrounds me,” she explains. “I never tire of it and always try to capture the atmosphere and splendour in my work. It’s a constant source of inspiration.” Katie studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design, where she developed a strong foundation in composition and visual storytelling. She later earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and spent her early career working as a muralist in London, producing large-scale works for private and commercial clients. Following this, she worked as a freelance artist for an art consultancy, creating commissioned pieces that are now held in collections around the world. Her work is known for its tactile surface quality, vibrant energy, and ability to express the subtle emotional weight of landscapes and natural forms. Today, Katie continues to explore the intersection between external environment and internal response, often painting intuitively, allowing the rhythm of the brushstroke to echo the movement of wind through grass, the shifting light of a coastline, or the soft complexity of layered petals. Whether in landscape or botanical work, her paintings invite the viewer to pause, observe, and reconnect with the quiet beauty of the natural world.