Meet the Maker – Kathryn Williams

Hi Kathryn, please can you introduce yourself?

My name is Kathryn Williams and I’m a singer-songwriter and musician. I’ve just written a novel called The Ormering Tide which was published by Wrecking Ball Press and was really well received, I have a podcast called Before The Light Goes Out, and I tutor songwriting to young women.

Did you grow up in a creative household and what is your most significant early memory of making?

My grandad was a bus driver, but in their house he built a workshop. And so one of my earliest memories was when I had an apron with my name on, and me and my sister made tool boxes, and we painted our names on them. He used to make things like wooden windmills that when you turned them they’d make a tune and yeah, it was really formative. He used to make enamel jewelry as well. He had a kiln, so very early on it felt like creativity should be in my life. My dad was a folk singer in a band before we were born and actually when he gave up being the lead singer, Willy Russell, the playwright, took over from him. And so Willy Russell was his stand in, which we all liked. Growing up, I carried on drawing and painting, and writing really cringy teenage poetry. I always dreamed of a creative life.

Can you tell us more about your process behind this body of work and what first drew you to such a unique canvas?

When I was going smaller and smaller experimenting with Italian watercolors, I thought it would be amazing if you could get really small canvases. And then I was like, matchboxes! It made so much sense to me because it’s a household product. Back in the day, in the renaissance, there was a real opulence about painting on tiny pieces of bone or ivory. I really loved the transference of making miniatures onto such a household item. I also love the idea that if you had a piece of art on your wall and an apocalypse happened your painting could actually light a fire for you. They’re zombie apocalypse proof paintings.

Is there a process or mindset that you always need to be in to start painting?

I need to paint usually just to feel a sense of satisfaction. It’s like an urge rather than anything else. And also just the idea of looking at something intently is a really great way to settle my mind. But I think, you know, I’m not an artist who has a studio and has a daily practice where I’ll be at the easel every day. My days go from being on tour, to writing songs for other artists, to teaching, to being a mum. A lot of it is snatching moments in time. But I think if you’ve been there, a parent in a creative world, then you realise that those times are moments you can make so much of.  I take the windows that I have and work with them.

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity means everything. I’ve been putting music out for 30 years and in the last 10 or 12 years, I’ve been tutoring songwriting retreats and helping to facilitate other people to create. Because I work across many mediums creatively, whether it’s music, songwriting, poetry, novels, painting or recording podcasts, I feel that one of the most important things is to always have a beginners mind.

Are there any early signs of summer that you look forward to each year? 

Yes, we’ve got a lovely big garden, and we sometimes get deer coming in from the golf course. And so seeing them come in and sunbathing, and then noticing all of the beautiful spring/summer things that start blooming around us.

Does the change in seasons have any impact on your painting? Do you have a renewed sense of energy towards painting as the days get longer and brighter?

Yeah, I think it’s a double edged sword because you have more daylight to paint and you have more time. But then when it’s really nice outside, you also want to live – you don’t always want to be just like marking life, you’ve got to experience it as well. So you have these two things fighting against you. But yes, being able to work late is motivating.

See Kathryn’s ‘Striking Image’ collection here.