KATIE FOWLIE

About

I combine my day-to-day family life with facilitating creative public engagement projects in schools, galleries and public art events whilst pursuing my somewhat quieter life as a beachcomber. I have always had a connection with Fife's beautiful, rugged and varied coastline and believe there is a desire in all of us to forage.

I grew up in Fife and moved to Edinburgh when I was 17 to study at Edinburgh College of Art. I spent the next six years studying at ECA, graduating with a First Class BA(Hons) Degree in Drawing & Painting, followed by a Postgraduate MFA in Drawing & Painting. 

After completing my MFA I spent two years as Artist-in-Residence and an A-Level Art Tutor at Repton School, a boarding school in Derbyshire, before returning once again to Edinburgh. Here I completed another Artist-in-Residence and part-time teaching post at Edinburgh Academy. 

Following these residencies, my husband & I returned to Fife with our young family, as we wanted our two boys to grow up by the sea and develop a strong connection with the outdoors.

Once back in Fife, I launched my online business as a beachcomber which has grown significantly to around 15,000 followers and loyal customers around the world over the last 12 years or so and invitations to lecture on beachcombing at International Beachcombing Festivals.

In the summer of 2014 I took on the role as Lead Artist for The Big Draw during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. This involved organising, creating and delivering free daily art workshops for the public (and managing a large materials budget).

For two weeks, participants of all ages explored & responded to themes of the Commonwealth Games and Glasgow's vibrant history. Every day offered different workshop activities spanning a variety of art applications.

It was estimated that 20,000 children took part in the delivery of these workshops during the two weeks on Glasgow Green!

I returned to Glasgow as Lead Artist for the 'Family Zone' during the City's annual Merchant City Festival 2015 and 2016, facilitating a week of free daily public art workshops with each festival catering for approximately 2000 participants.

I completed a series of public engagement projects and exhibition, celebrating the River Tay in Perth. These workshops were commissioned in response to a public art installation, MEANDER, by Elizabeth Ogilvie & Rob Page in Perth’s city centre. We embarked upon a week of projects inspired by nature in an ‘open-air studio’ with children from various primary schools. Approximately 100 participants drew inspiration from the River Tay, the surrounding natural environment and also Perth’s famous son, Sir Patrick Geddes. Following the Project, the pupils’ work was exhibited at Perth’s Civic Hall.