Left to right: Watermelon in the hot; Katie Blundell with some of her ‘Fruity’ series; Lofty Dreams.
Katie Blundell –
THE JUNG AND THE SCULPTRESS Based at Clevedon’s Riverhaven Artland, Katie Blundell is at the heart of art in our region. Recently, JON RAWLINSON made the pilgrimage to this splendid sculpture park to chat with her and her father, Guy. Clevedon’s Katie Blundell is an impressive artist; following Carl Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious, it could also be said that she is merely the conduit through which impressive art is channelled.
“I see myself as a multimedia artist. The medium I reach for will be decided by the idea. I really love abstract expressionism, expressionism and Japanese woodcuts. I think those kinds of style are apparent,” she says.
“My experiences in education [Clevedon Primary, Diocesan School for Girls and Elam] were also positive. I had a lot of supportive teachers who encouraged me and inspired me to travel and get into teaching.”
“In a way, that’s true – I’m as much a product of my work as my work is of me,” she says. “I have some idea of where I’m going when I start a piece but I feel the process will inform it. I think others relate to the thoughts and feelings that come across because they’re all based on human experience. I wear my heart on my sleeve, anyway, and that’s definitely so when I’m making art.”
“I don’t have a fixed message; it’s all open to interpretation. Sometimes people tell me narratives they’ve drawn from my work which I never considered and I think ‘well, yeah, maybe it was that after all!’ It doesn’t really matter what type of reaction you’re getting as long as you’re getting a reaction.”
After finishing her Bachelor of Fine Arts followed by a Masters degree, Katie worked as a tour manager for Contiki, an experience which definitely broadened her mind.
But, if Katie creates based on signals from a collective human psyche rather than personal experience, I must ask who gets paid when her work is sold? “I do, obviously!” she laughs. In efforts to ham-fistedly sum up a complex theory one could (mis) quote the wise words of another great philosopher, Jiminy Cricket, to say Katie ‘lets her unconscious be her guide’. When it comes to her choice of medium, despite printmaking being the focus of her Masters degree, Katie does not play favourites, equally enjoying painting and sculpture. While making a habit of mixing up her media, there are some common stylistic aspects regarding the messages conveyed.
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Last year, Katie added to her extensive portfolio with her Stay Local series, mostly created during last year’s lockdowns. “The artworks are relatively uplifting and designed to raise spirits during a difficult time.” Katie grew up with a love of art, inspired both through school and on the home front. “When I was a kid, I loved Walt Disney and drew cartoons, which was one of my first introductions to art. I don’t do cartoons anymore but I guess you can see humour in my work. My mum [Sue Blundell] was a hairdresser but she was very creative, Dad is too, and my auntie, Sue, also went to Elam [School of Fine Arts], so art was always celebrated in my family,” she recalls.
“It was fantastic! I got to travel Europe while getting paid, exploring galleries and learning history. It was an invaluable experience.” After a year or so, Katie returned to New Zealand where she studied teaching before taking up positions at Onehunga High School and, later, her alma mater, Diocesan. In 2014 she took a leap of faith to pursue art fulltime. “It was a major step, quite the lifestyle change. I enjoyed teaching but pouring a lot of energy into helping students didn’t leave a lot in the tank for my own work. “I’m really happy now, focusing on art. However, I still run workshops and mentor other artists, which is rewarding and inspiring; I learn from them too.” Although winning awards has never been her main aim, this enterprising creative has been well recognised nationally, even reaching the finals of the
prestigious Wallace Art Awards in 2019. “I totally cried!” she grins. “It was very fulfilling. I don’t set out to win, not especially, but I do have a competitive streak, they open up opportunities and you get to meet wonderful, inspiring people along the way.”
HOMESPUN TURNS ON TALENT Since her school days, Katie has exhibited regularly at a wide range of galleries. Currently, her work features in the Homespun exhibition (on until March 13) at Pukekohe’s Franklin Arts Centre. “I’ve included pieces from my fruity series, which was made for the Pride Festival,” she explains. “I wanted to talk about pride in authentic ways – I grew up on an orchard but it’s also about the stereotype of flamboyance and I’m using fruit as a narrative for climate change as well, so there’s a ‘bunch’ of things going on.” More information about Homespun is accessible via www.facebook. com/FranklinArtsCentre. Katie’s art is also on permanent display at her own gallery, as well as Art Industry gallery and Corner Kitchen and Bar in Clevedon. www.southmagazine.co.nz
