Meet Artist Kate Capone – One of the “Fierce Females of Philadelphia,” Garden Tour Illustrator, and a Woman with Her Own Set of Wings
Picture this: Kate, the fairy flying around her ‘fern-filled’ studio, flicking her ‘paintbrush wand,’ landing for a moment near her collection of blue bowls and vintage desk accessories to share a giggle with her daughters who are cheerfully making art of their own. A quick sip of something from a teacup, a glance at the girls over her shoulder in one of the gold framed mirrors she collects and zip, off she flies again to her next piece of work.
Kate, who grew up in a creative family, credits both of her grandmothers with passing on their love of crafting. Hooking rugs, quilting, and her constant need to be making something started as a child. But, it was in 8th grade that she ‘officially’ fell in love with art when she took a charcoal class. And that love was real as Kate went on to study graphic design at Penn State and the School of Visual Art. This eventually led her to design work in New York City.
Married now, and living in Philadelphia, Kate Capone is a mother and a full-time designer at a brand and storytelling company (INVNT), who still finds time to collage and paint. She not only takes commissions, but also shows her work locally and has seen her following grow steadily. You can check out Kate’s creations on Instagram at Oh So Suite Studio. In addition to the ‘Oh! Naturale’artwork for the Garden Tour invitation (see the invitation online at www.robinsongardens.org), you are sure to see a post or two of her Oh So Suite Studio, her many ferns and plants, Modigliani (one of her influences), her children making art, and Kate’s amazing eye for color.
If you are very lucky… you may catch a glimpse of Kate, the fairy herself, as she flies over to check her fern encyclopedia before flitting over to fill in a spot she just noticed on an unfinished collage, then back to some cards she is painting for a West Elm pop up shop before she starts dinner. This is one busy fairy!
Kate in Her Own Words:
Can you tell us about working on the Oh! Naturale designs?
I loved developing the idea of Oh! Naturale. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going in the right direction. It didn’t feel exactly right to what Keeley was describing, but then I just sort of sat down and really looked through lots and lots of pictures of the VR gardens online and at the website and finally started just focusing on tiny details that could play supporting roles in the bigger idea. And that was my breakthrough. I also had to lean on my design skills a bit, to place it in the context of the invitation and all the materials it might get used on. That is when it all started to fall in place and feel “natural” if you will!
Are you working on anything now that you would like to share?
I am working on a houseplant journal. I have a bit of an addiction to collecting houseplants. I love them and feel like they instantly warm a space up. But basically I am drawing them all and then creating cards to note the care they might need – light, water, care, etc. I’m looking for a good nursery partner to sell them with.
I’m also working on some pop up shows with West Elm, selling original paintings in stores. So that will be keeping me busy for a couple of months.
And I’m developing a process for doing hand painted murals. I would love to travel around the world and paint murals in people’s homes of flowers and plants. I think that could possibly be me living my best life right there.
Are you following any current art world trends? Or design trends for your products?
I really want to develop a home decor line. So I am taking some online classes and really in full development mode. It’s been so fun narrowing down what I want to say in this collection and also thinking about whom I could partner with. A dream partner would be Anthropologie or a children’s line at Crate Kids.
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I can’t wait to see what Kate Capone will create next! If you are anxious to own something now, there are shopping links on her Instagram or check her out at Kate Capone.
Post by Stacy Klines
Friends of Robinson Gardens Member
Jack Klines
Great work mum