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At the very young age
of 8 months, Kate
McRostie was already spending time propped
up in a hand painted highchair coloring for hours
at a time. This was merely a glimpse into the
future of this talented artist. One of four children
in a military family, Kate traveled the country
extensively. She spent many hours with her
mother, a talented designer and artist herself,
exploring flea markets and antique shops. These
visits into the past have provided her with the
inspiration she draws upon to create a time-
worn look using muted, sophisticated colors
and textures.
In the tradition of the European muralists, Kate's
style reflects the colors and textures of Tuscany,
Normandy, and Provence. Placing decorative
icons on sophisticated backgrounds, her
patterned brushwork evokes the texture of sun-
worn damask.
In addition to the natural talent she possesses,
Kate took formal drawing lessons throughout
grade school and high school and attended
The Atlanta College of Art where she attained
a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture.
Upon completion of her formal schooling, Kate
moved to Wilmington, North Carolina where
she successfully started and ran a decorative
painting business that focused on decorative
wall finishes, trompe l'oeil murals and hand
painted furniture. Living in the quiet, coastal
town gave Kate endless inspiration from the
long, windswept beaches and rich history of this
southern town. It was here that she met her
future husband, Kenny, a Marine lieutenant
stationed at nearby Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina.
Once again the military took her across the
country to San Diego, California where she re-
established her decorative painting business.
When her husband left active duty in 1996, they
moved to Denver, Colorado where they worked
together rebuilding the same decorative
painting business. After several years of hard
work and success, Kate could not keep up with
the demand for her artistic talents so they set
out to explore other options. The opportunity to
enter the art licensing market came at the 1998
Licensing Show in New York City.
Over the past 7 years, Kate has exploded onto
the global art licensing market and her list of
licensees has continued to expand. Her
knowledge of home fashion has enabled Kate to
turn her hand to the home decor industry with
much success. The McRosties have returned to
Wilmington, where they are raising their three
young daughters. Kate works out of a studio
near her home and continues to draw inspiration
from life, nature and the people around her.
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