A4 Studios Maker’s Market

We’ll be selling handmade art at the A4 Studios Christmas Makers Market in Altrincham from November 12-13. This will include my Polaroid emulsion lifts of Manchester and botanical prints made from locally sourced natural plant dies; John will be selling some beautiful gum bichromate prints. We are looking forward to it. Hope to see you there! Christmas Makers MarketSAT 12TH […]

Chorlton Arts Festival

John and I are very excited to be putting on an exhibition of our art from April 29th – May 29th, 2022 in Barlow Hall, Manchester as part of the 20th Anniversary Chorlton Arts Festival. We’ll be showing our work alongside amazing artists Pia Järvinen and Brenda Hird. Somehow, Barlow Hall – which is hosting the exhibition and which is […]

Polaroids and Poems

Since the Lockdown started, we’ve been making the most of our designated outdoors time. Living in Chorlton, we’re very lucky to have access to Kenworthy Woods through the back gate and it’s an amazing time of year, with the trees turning green again and the wild garlic in bloom. I’ve seen a few butterflies around and can hear the owls […]

Bride of Frankenstein Art Collaboration

I’ve recently had another chance to collaborate with artist Vineta Gailite. Vineta’s hand-made dolls, sculptures and shadow puppet theatre work, Imaginary Islands, are beautiful, eery and full of atmosphere. I love the way each of her pieces tells a story or draws on one. For our last project together, I commissioned Vineta to make some special puppets and in return I made her […]

Chorlton Arts Festival

As part of Chorlton Arts Festival, John Brewer and I will be taking wet plate portraits for this two-day event on Saturday May 24th and Sunday May 25th organised by Michele Selway in a pop-up shop on Chorlton High Road. Chorlton Arts Festival is one of the UK’s leading multi-arts festivals. Now in its 14th year, the festival showcases local and national talent in music, comedy, […]

Puppets and Portraits

I had a great day last Thursday making ambrotypes with artist Vineta Gailite. Vineta’s hand-made dolls, sculptures and recent shadow puppet theatre work, Imaginary Islands, are beautiful, eery and full of atmosphere. I love the way each of her pieces tells a story or draws on one. I’ve commissioned Vineta to make a special doll for the youngest member of our family, Violet (age 5), and what she’s […]

The Mask Series

Recently, I participated in an international wet plate series called The Mask Series.  The project was coordinated by Shane Balkowitsch who assembled 150 alternative photographers from over 25 countries, making the series the largest international wet plate collaboration since Frederick Scott Archer first invented the process in 1848.  The goal is to raise awareness for the technique and also create a […]

Novel Cover Art

I’m excited to learn that Jason Anscomb of Rawshock will be designing the jacket cover for my novel.  I think his collage and design work is fab, e.g. this stylish cover (above).  I’ve had a few ideas cover-wise, mainly involving the long, red hair of the main character, Oona, floating away from her in the underwater scene, quoted here: The boat dipped […]

Review of Vanitas Exhibition

Many thanks to Melissa Tricoire for this lovely review of John Brewer’s and my exhibition at the Double Negative Darkroom, Hackney! Here’s an extract – “Magic emanates from Brewer’s still lifes, creating a theatre of curiosities with human skulls, candles, medical instruments, tarot cards and other memento mori. The photographer’s series of acrylotype plates entitled Fragmented Dolls is remarkable for its artistry and […]

Vanitas Exhibition

An exhibition of unique photographic plates by John Brewer & Kate Horsley 8th December 2012  – 12th January 2013 at the Double Negative Darkroom 78a Glyn Road, Hackney, London E5 0JE; Launch event 8th December 2012 Growing out of the memento mori tradition of Renaissance Europe, vanitas is a genre of art that contemplates the transient nature of life.  Common symbols include skulls, […]