Ruth Harris (Catkin Studio) – portfolio

Contact the artist

https://www.catkintreestudio.co.uk/

hello@catkintreestudio.co.uk

Exhibition information

My 2026 Artweeks exhibition will be a combination of my cat-themed art (a showcase of some of the originals along with prints to purchase) and a display of miniature spring flower artworks, such as the snowdrop painting in my portfolio images.  I am aiming to paint a display of approximately 30 of these prior to the 2026 May exhibition. I am a designer and maker and aside from the artworks, also enjoy a range of other crafts (I offer craft workshops as well, which can be booked via my website).  When I am painting, I enjoy experimenting with colour, pattern and detail – William Morris inspired three of my hidden cat artworks, with cats hidden amongst roses, vines and oak leaves.  I enjoy the intricacy of William Morris’ patterns.  I am so happy that these designs (as well as my Apawllo-7 artwork of cats in space) make people smile and laugh – they quite often don’t initially see the hidden cats and do a double-take!  I have got pet cats myself – Pebble, Tiger and Frosty – who provide plenty of inspiration.  Certainly the cheeky cats in my “That Aint a Strawberry Thief” artwork are very much inspired by their antics!  My cat-themed artwork can be gently riotous as a result.

Artist information

I find painting my artworks very meditative; in part I frequently use small brushes to get the fine detail, and its easy to get lost in the repeating patterns and the details in some of the designs.  My preferred medium is acrylic paint on either canvas stretched over a frame, or canvas boards, although I do experiment with other media from time to time.  Once I’ve finished a piece of art, if I think it will make a good art print on to something like a cushion, bag or teatowel, I have a high quality scan or photograph taken of the design.  My mission (aside from making people smile at my cat art!) is to make my artwork accessible in way that’s practical and useful – because I know that art can be enjoyed in more ways than having a picture on the wall.  We seem to have become too used to bland and beige estate-agent ready houses, and I want people to be able to spruce up their spaces in a way which is easy to do and easy to enjoy.   Along with the Spring Flowers paintings I am currently working on for the Oxfordshire Artweeks exhibition, some new cat themed artwork in the pipeline includes this year’s cat themed Christmas card (yes, really! “Gold, Frankincense and Purr”), a cat with a hot air balloon, and – hopefully – finishing off my National Flower Cats series (having completed the English Cat-rose and the Scottish Cat-thistle, there is still Ireland and Wales to go!).  I also enjoy painting subjects other than cats – they are usually nature themed, and occasionally space themed – which creates an eclectic portfolio of artwork.