Classically trained portrait artist Kate McClure made a shift in her approach to art several years ago. Wanting to break free from the constraints of realism, she began painting more intuitively, using color as a way to evoke an emotional response. The result is work that is more closely aligned with the artist’s inner soul.

Kate McClure is an abstract artist working in oil and cold wax medium. Her paintings are multi-layered pieces on wood panel that are built up over time to create a surface that is rich and evocative. The use of cold wax allows for the scraping, dissolving, and accessing of previous layers that give the work an aged quality. Kate uses paint, pigment sticks, drawing materials and marble dust to build up the surfaces of her paintings. Her work suggests ancient murals, frescoes, abandoned barns and corroded signs; places marked by time and human touch. Personal exploration, memory, and the landscape inform her work as well as intuition in deciding when a painting is complete.

Kate is a full-time artist in Lynchburg, VA. A native Tennessean and Virginia transplant, Kate received a BFA in Fine Art from Auburn University. She continued her studies at the Florence Academy of Art. Kate has been a full-time portrait artist for over a decade, and in 2019 she expanded her practice to include original artwork. Kate’s work is part of the permanent collections of Auburn University and the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge.

For inquiries please contact studio@katemcclureart.com