Kate MacKenzie is an award winning multidisciplinary artist, as a surrealist and expressionist painter and wearable arts designer. Kate has experienced success as a finalist in art awards including The NZ Adam Portraiture Awards, NZ Parkin Drawing Prize, Hawkes Bay Review and East Art Awards. . She has twice been a Supreme Winner at the prestigous and international "World Of Wearable Art " Competition and some of her wearable art has been selected for exhibition at Te Papa Museum Wellington.
"Painting is my main focus, but curiosity often inspires experimentation outside of this practice. I have built garments with furniture and recycled materials, constructed portraits with cable ties, and now sewing figurative works using layers and layers of coloured Tulle that possess a holographic quality that gives the human face a depth that cannot be achieved with paint." Each art practice has fed off each other and they all possess a common thread, which has lead to her latest series of Oil on canvas work. " I don’t often know where my work is heading or what I want to achieve so I let the creative process dictate the outcome of my work. This approach has lead me to a deeper level of understanding of what it means to be an artist and to trust in this instinctive organic process ".
MacKenzie has a strong interest in the environment and other political issues that have impacted life for New Zealanders particularly, and humanity more broadly. Both her portraits and her landscapes have elements of a montage, bringing together emblems of her thoughts and concerns for the world, including changing paradigms in societal beliefs and mindsets. Her work often illustrates the journey towards environmental awareness with subtle reference to changing technology.
Kates last series of fragmented portraits and figurative landscapes illustrate a break in routine and thought processes…in order to reset and reconfigure, to adjust to a new way of thinking and “Human Adaptation" and a re-invention of the social fabric. The natural progression of Kates paint application sees the fragmented strokes coming back together in some work, but this time using a different sequence. It appears human DNA has altered slightly, since recent years of the pandemic and floods. Fabric like skin, using random brushstrokes, enmeshed together in a weave almost implies tattered subjects. With tentacles or feelers reaching for support each subject meets these issues with an unwavering gaze, showing strength of character and depth of wisdom that is capable of rebuilding in the face of adversity.
Multiculturalism has been a recurring motif in Mackenzie’s work. There is an integration of Maori and Pakeha symbols that she enmeshes together in the narrative of her paintings that represents her own belief in equality, respect and hope for the emergence of lasting tolerance between cultures.
"Painting is my main focus, but curiosity often inspires experimentation outside of this practice. I have built garments with furniture and recycled materials, constructed portraits with cable ties, and now sewing figurative works using layers and layers of coloured Tulle that possess a holographic quality that gives the human face a depth that cannot be achieved with paint." Each art practice has fed off each other and they all possess a common thread, which has lead to her latest series of Oil on canvas work. " I don’t often know where my work is heading or what I want to achieve so I let the creative process dictate the outcome of my work. This approach has lead me to a deeper level of understanding of what it means to be an artist and to trust in this instinctive organic process ".
MacKenzie has a strong interest in the environment and other political issues that have impacted life for New Zealanders particularly, and humanity more broadly. Both her portraits and her landscapes have elements of a montage, bringing together emblems of her thoughts and concerns for the world, including changing paradigms in societal beliefs and mindsets. Her work often illustrates the journey towards environmental awareness with subtle reference to changing technology.
Kates last series of fragmented portraits and figurative landscapes illustrate a break in routine and thought processes…in order to reset and reconfigure, to adjust to a new way of thinking and “Human Adaptation" and a re-invention of the social fabric. The natural progression of Kates paint application sees the fragmented strokes coming back together in some work, but this time using a different sequence. It appears human DNA has altered slightly, since recent years of the pandemic and floods. Fabric like skin, using random brushstrokes, enmeshed together in a weave almost implies tattered subjects. With tentacles or feelers reaching for support each subject meets these issues with an unwavering gaze, showing strength of character and depth of wisdom that is capable of rebuilding in the face of adversity.
Multiculturalism has been a recurring motif in Mackenzie’s work. There is an integration of Maori and Pakeha symbols that she enmeshes together in the narrative of her paintings that represents her own belief in equality, respect and hope for the emergence of lasting tolerance between cultures.
2023 - Solo Exhibition Muse Gallery - HOt With A Chance Of Normality - see news section
2022 - Solo Exhibition Muse Gallery Havelock North "Rise Of The Tattered"
2022 - Supreme Winner World Of WearableArt ( for a 2nd time) https://www.worldofwearableart.com/
2022 - 1st place Open section World Of WearableArt
2022 - Finalist Parkin Drawing Prize
2022 - Finalist World Of WearableArt
2022 - Head Judge Hastings Edible Fashion Awards
2020 - Selection for Wearable Art Te Papa Museum Wellington from 12th Dec
2020 - Finalist NZ Adam Portaiture Awards
2020 - Solo Exhibition coming up from 29th May - The Art Lounge NZ Tauranga "May day For Cicada's"
2020 - Head Judge Hastings Edible Fashion Awards
2019 - EcoNology - solo exhibition Muse Gallery Havelock North
2018 - Solo Exhibition Sydney M2 Gallery "Paradigm Road
2018 - Finalist: NZ Adam Art Portraiture Awards – NZ Portraiture Gallery, Wellington
2018 - NZ Adam Art Portraiture Awards, selection for NZ Tour
2018 - 2nd Place Avant Garde World of Wearable Art
2018 - Runner Up Sustainability Award World of Wearable Art
2018 - Succumb-ference Solo Exhibition Muse Gallery Havelock North
2017 - Exhibit Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland
2017 - Exhibit NZ Art Show, TSB Arena, Wellington
2016 - Solo Exhibition – Soul Gallery, Hamilton
2016 - Exhibit – NZ Art Show, Wellington
2016 - Solo Exhibition, Havelock North
2016 - Finalist: World of Wearable Art Wellington
2015 - Public Commission – Hawkes Bay Opera House
2015 - Finalist: World of Wearable Art Wellington
2015 - Exhibit NZ Art Show, TSB Arena, Wellington
2014 - Supreme Winner, International World Of WearableArt Competition, Wellington
2014 - 1st place Aotearoa section World of WearableArt
2014 - Exhibit NZ Art Show, TSB Arena, Wellington
2013 - 3rd Place Open Section – World Of Wearable Art, Wellington
2010 - Finalist: East Exhibition – Hastings City Art Gallery
2010 - Finalist: Matariki Art Competition, Auckland
2009 - Solo Exhibition – Parnell Gallery, Auckland
2007 - Solo Exhibition – Wine Country Gallery Havelock North
2006 - Finalist Hawkes Bay Review – Hastings City Art Gallery
2004 - Public Commission – Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland
2004 - Solo Exhibition - Rothesay Bay Auckland
2003 - Selected as Feature Artist for Hawkes Bay Vintners Charity Wine Auction
2003 - Solo Exhibition - Hastings Community Art Centre
2001 - Finalist NZ Telecom Art Awards (2 works)
2000 - Finalist NZ Telecom Art Awards (1 work)
2022 - Solo Exhibition Muse Gallery Havelock North "Rise Of The Tattered"
2022 - Supreme Winner World Of WearableArt ( for a 2nd time) https://www.worldofwearableart.com/
2022 - 1st place Open section World Of WearableArt
2022 - Finalist Parkin Drawing Prize
2022 - Finalist World Of WearableArt
2022 - Head Judge Hastings Edible Fashion Awards
2020 - Selection for Wearable Art Te Papa Museum Wellington from 12th Dec
2020 - Finalist NZ Adam Portaiture Awards
2020 - Solo Exhibition coming up from 29th May - The Art Lounge NZ Tauranga "May day For Cicada's"
2020 - Head Judge Hastings Edible Fashion Awards
2019 - EcoNology - solo exhibition Muse Gallery Havelock North
2018 - Solo Exhibition Sydney M2 Gallery "Paradigm Road
2018 - Finalist: NZ Adam Art Portraiture Awards – NZ Portraiture Gallery, Wellington
2018 - NZ Adam Art Portraiture Awards, selection for NZ Tour
2018 - 2nd Place Avant Garde World of Wearable Art
2018 - Runner Up Sustainability Award World of Wearable Art
2018 - Succumb-ference Solo Exhibition Muse Gallery Havelock North
2017 - Exhibit Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland
2017 - Exhibit NZ Art Show, TSB Arena, Wellington
2016 - Solo Exhibition – Soul Gallery, Hamilton
2016 - Exhibit – NZ Art Show, Wellington
2016 - Solo Exhibition, Havelock North
2016 - Finalist: World of Wearable Art Wellington
2015 - Public Commission – Hawkes Bay Opera House
2015 - Finalist: World of Wearable Art Wellington
2015 - Exhibit NZ Art Show, TSB Arena, Wellington
2014 - Supreme Winner, International World Of WearableArt Competition, Wellington
2014 - 1st place Aotearoa section World of WearableArt
2014 - Exhibit NZ Art Show, TSB Arena, Wellington
2013 - 3rd Place Open Section – World Of Wearable Art, Wellington
2010 - Finalist: East Exhibition – Hastings City Art Gallery
2010 - Finalist: Matariki Art Competition, Auckland
2009 - Solo Exhibition – Parnell Gallery, Auckland
2007 - Solo Exhibition – Wine Country Gallery Havelock North
2006 - Finalist Hawkes Bay Review – Hastings City Art Gallery
2004 - Public Commission – Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland
2004 - Solo Exhibition - Rothesay Bay Auckland
2003 - Selected as Feature Artist for Hawkes Bay Vintners Charity Wine Auction
2003 - Solo Exhibition - Hastings Community Art Centre
2001 - Finalist NZ Telecom Art Awards (2 works)
2000 - Finalist NZ Telecom Art Awards (1 work)