Katy Kear

BA (Hons) Artist Designer Maker

Picture of Katy

This year accumulated in a collection of furnishings inspired by the difficulty of restrictions and what has been missed. This is not a focus of mourning but of finding a way to reconnect to the world that is comforting and boosting. This collection has taken visual inspiration from water, particularly the refraction of tiles seen at the bottom of a swimming pool. The presence of water in everyday life is profound and undeniable, many will have missed their daily swim as leisure centres have been forced to close. By using the movement of the water to manipulate the grid locked pattern, a bold dynamic surface is created. Relaxation is key to a healthy lifestyle, the hope of this collection is that it will allow people to find the same ease they achieve in an immovable environment, in the safety of their homes. These are unprecedented times, never has society been put through the same trials as the last 12 months. This is a way of encapsulating those feelings of isolation and disengagement, but in a way that is colourful and bright. Using design as a way of escape. Bold modern shapes with a dynamic pattern and mood boosting colours are what makes this collection what it is.


Cronnwyd y flwyddyn yma mewn casgliad o ddodrefn a ysbrydolwyd gan anhawster y cyfyngiadau a’r hyn a gollwyd. Nid ffocws galaru mo hwn ond o ddod o hyd i ffordd o ailgysylltu â byd sy’n gysurus ac sy’n rhoi hwb i’w hwyliau. Mae’r casgliad hwn wedi cymryd ysbrydoliaeth weledol o ddŵr, yn enwedig plygiant teils a welir ar waelod pwll nofio. Mae presenoldeb dŵr mewn bywyd bob dydd yn rhywbeth dwys na ellir ei wadu, bydd llawer yn gweld eisiau nofio bob dydd wrth i ganolfannau hamdden gael eu gorfodi i gau. Trwy ddefnyddio symudiad y dŵr i drin patrwm y grid dan glo, mae arwyneb deinamig beiddgar yn cael ei greu. Mae ymlacio’n allweddol i ffordd iach o fyw, gobaith y casgliad hwn yw y bydd yn caniatáu i bobl ddod o hyd i’r un naws esmwyth ag y maent yn ei gyflawni mewn amgylchedd disymud, yn niogelwch eu cartrefi. Cyfnod digynsail yw hwn, ac nid yw cymdeithas erioed wedi cael ei rhoi drwy’r un treialon â’r rhai yn y 12 mis diwethaf. Mae hon yn ffordd o grynhoi’r teimladau hynny o unigedd ac ymddieithrio, ond mewn ffordd sy’n lliwgar ac yn ddisglair. Gan ddefnyddio dylunio fel ffordd o ddianc. Siapiau modern beiddgar gyda phatrwm deinamig a lliwiau sy’n rhoi hwb i’r hwyliau yw’r hyn sy’n gwneud y casgliad hwn beth ydyw.

Katy's workspace. A corner of her bedroom with a computer and drawing table

Katy’s Workspace

Other Exhibitors:

Kelly Sorcha Handy

Kelly Sorcha Handy

I am a craftsperson and textile artist, from Eryri. My work is very process-led and I specialise in felting, surface pattern design, and weaving. The main themes of my work are home, identity, and ecology. This project has been an exploration of coping with grief and...

Ella Taylor

Ella Taylor

I am a maker that works with wood and ceramics. For this collection I have created pendant lights and table lamps. These products are presented as exclusive decorative pieces but are also entirely functional. I show the natural beauty of wood by enhancing its grain...

Miranda Vaughan Kett

Miranda Vaughan Kett

‘Like Salmon’ is a contemporary sculpture collection on the theme of nostalgia and longing. The pieces are displayed in the format of a Wunderkammer – making a museum of my own memories. The contents of each vitrine refer to a particular memory from my family’s...

Carla Prinsloo

Carla Prinsloo

We have recently witnessed a steep rise in discussions about mental health, but this is not matched by levels of support provided, I design and make objects that aim to support mental wellness. These objects use light as well as visual patterns and textures designed...

Mary-Morgan Griffiths

Mary-Morgan Griffiths

My art is a manifestation of my special interests and a way to honour and nourish my inner child whilst addressing topics of neurodivergence and mental illness. Inspired by natural phenomena, patterns and textures, my work often has visual and tactile elements to...

Millie Rose Belding

Millie Rose Belding

I am a Welsh artist and designer specialising in Ceramics and Textiles. My work focuses on promoting sustainability in the design and production of a series of decorative homewares. This design series is inspired by traditional Welsh blanket design, it seeks to...