In my quest to bring you interesting blog articles I scour the local area looking for designers who think outside the box to offer something unique and something different.
When I came across sculptor Kate Lulham I was impressed by her quirky wall sculptures. Apart from the technique used there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for her pieces which depict flowers, burlesque dancers, bees, juggling fish… and a meat van! Intrigued, I delved deeper to find out more about this wacky artist and her inspiration.
Kate uses old tins, sheets of metal, enamel paints and wire to create framed pieces and 3d wall sculptures. ‘My inspiration comes from circus, burlesque and everyday surroundings whether that might be the local butcher or dancers at shows’ she explains.
She tells me her art hero is Alexander Calder – an American sculptor and artist who died in 1976. He specialized in wire sculpture and invented the mobile in 1931. Much of his work depicted circus themes so I’m beginning to understand the reasons behind the amazing juggling mackerel!
There is definitely a retro theme to her work and, when Kate told me she is also inspired by Victorian boxed and pinned insects, I wasn’t really sure what she meant. So I Googled it… and was horrified by my findings! I came across a scientific guide to collecting, killing and preserving insects for study. It explains how to make a ‘killing jar’ and then a ‘relaxing jar’(!) After a gruesome section concerning a ‘spreading board’ it moves onto pinning and mounting the insects for display. Hmmm – what a thing to be inspired by! But as Kate’s insects are made of wire and don’t involve any killing we’ll let her off! Her cute bumble bees are cartoon style – stripy yellow and black with purple and orange wings, mounted on sheet music.
I’ve given up trying to understand and I’ve decided to 
just go with it! I love how the weird and the wonderful can be combined, it’s very dreamy and a far cry from reality.
My favourite piece depicts three raunchy burlesque dancers ‘hanging out’ in the stamens of three pink lilies.
Kate has joined Brighton Independent Printmaking so she can begin to incorporate paint into her work and enter into the world of collagraph.
You can view the eclectic collection on her website http://web.me.com/katelulham
By Helen Ruff
