Kate Vella ‘Instinct’

Born in Malta, Kate Vella is an emerging visual artist, now living in The Southern Highlands of New South Wales.Largely self-taught Vella paints from life, her focus is on depicting florals, fruit and vessels.Working with acrylics, Vella’s work is intuitive and spontaneous with an emphasis on reimagining the still life genre. From a very young age she had a vision to be a painter, but it wasn’t until 2018 when Vella began pursuing her creative career. Vella held her first solo show “ Antidote” in Sydney in 2019.Since then she held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in various group shows and collaborations. Vella was awarded First Prize in, The Agency Still Life Bowral Art Prize 2022 and The Hannah Forbes Memorial Prize 2023. Vella has been twice Finalist in Ravenswood Australian Women Art Prize Emerging Category 2022, 2020, Goulburn Art Award 2022, Meroogal Women’s Art Prize 2020 and Kangaroo Valley Art Prize 2020. Vella was also awarded Highly Commended in The Blue Square Competition 2019 and Commended in Belle Property Bowral Art Prize. Vella’s work is held in private collections in Australia, Internationally and in The Osborn Boutique Hotel in the Southern Highlands.

My work represents a deep connection to the still life genre. Guided by my instinct, I focus on depicting table scenes arrangements of ordinary everyday objects I feel emotionally drawn to. I find endless inspiration in flowers, fruit, antique and vintage kitchenware that have been passed down through generations, aiming to give them a new life and identity. I have the freedom to work loosely building on multiple layers. Working in a non- traditional style and technique; I aim for a pentimento result, painting over earlier brushwork only leaving faint traces to be seen. I continue to explore with light, colour, shapes and scale with a focus on developing a fresh take on still life, and working at capturing moments of joy and beauty in everyday life.