ABOUT NATE KITCH
Nate Kitch is an Oxford-based illustrator. He is a Southampton Solent University graduate at the School of Art & Design in 2012 and has been filling newspapers with his colorful collages in the past few years.
Nate is always engaged in the process of making. Folding, cutting, dripping paint are all activities he explores with success. This passion of his lately led him to create interesting images intentionally made to communicate and translate a message into a visual piece.
NATE KITCH’S WORK PROCESS
Nate’s workflow starts with all kind of sketches which he will then discuss with the Art Director. He translates the sketches into a final piece to communicate the initial idea. “I’m quite open to mistakes and errors and sometimes those are what ‘make’ the image. It’s exciting”, he says.
As he grew in his practice, new editorial clients arrived and Nate found himself dealing more and more with politically driven themes. He worked, for instance, at the Brexit matter for a client, stating that it felt quite good to make some revisions and corrections to the initial magazine cover direction. Collage is what he thinks reflects the current situation in the UK, as it shows off the layered aspect of the country’s society.
He is aware of the difficulties a young artist is facing in the present UK, having to deal with a jungle made of loud content and the complexity of standing out in the mob. That’s why he believes in making art for yourself, without chasing ‘likes’: “If you are saying something in a unique way and translating fresh ideas to people, that is far superior than say an illustrated cult character with thousands of likes”, he says.
ARTIST’S VISION
Nate Kitch is a person who believes in dipping below the shallow surface of the mainstream. He thinks there is so much to be explored in the art world that a creative soul should be patient and dig, aiming just at getting excited and finding that wonder that will then inspire and make his own process.
Kitch finds his own inspiration from a lot of other mediums outside illustration. He loves Jazz and is always with something jazzy playing in the background. Comedy is also a source of beauty and harmony to him, as he defines it tasty and smart, while movies are inspiring for the infinite possibilities to tell a story.
Nate has then been working on a regular base for the Guardian, New York Times and Harper’s Magazine while teaching college illustration workshops. He recently participated at Swirlzine – a stylised booklet, designed by award-winning creative to provide straightforward wisdom from mental health professionals.
It sold out at Tate Modern on January 22nd, 2019.
April 2018
Nate is then represented in North America by Marlena Agency.
Check more about Nate on his website, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Also, check more about Swirl here!
