Two Kats & A Cow Gallery is Brighton’s oldest independent gallery established by painters Kathryn Matthews and Katty McMurray (the two Kats) and John Marshall, the Cow painter. Situated on Brighton seafront in a beautiful victorian arch, they sell contemporary paintings, limited edition prints, ceramics and jewellery by the UK’s best artists and makers. We grabbed ten minutes with Katty McMurray to gain a bit more insight into her life as an artist and discuss an exciting giveaway!

At what point did you know you wanted to be an artist/ was there a previous career choice/ a pivotal moment that you knew you wanted to go into painting?

I was always drawing as a child, my father had been a portrait painter in Tripoli when he met my mum, and so we would draw, paint, animate, and make pots. I grew up in Wimbledon and at the weekends we would go to the London galleries, so at 16 I left school and went to art college, then on to a degree at the Chelsea School of Art.

How much influence have your previous travels played in your current style?

I’ve always sketched on my travels so I have hundreds of sketchbooks, but I don’t tend to go back to old sketches – they are quick and spontaneous an element which I try to keep in my paintings. My work has gradually evolved over the last 30 years but you if you look at my early work the style is still quite consistent and recognisable.

What can we expect to see from you in 2020?

Well, I’m working from a summer trip to Corfu – lots of sunshine and clear blue seas, and also a trip to Copenhagen which has a cooler more subdued palette. I’m also working on some Brighton work including some new screen prints –

Is there any styles or techniques you haven’t tried yet in your work but would like to explore in the future?

I often stop and spend time experimenting and trying out new ideas. I would like to get more of the linework in my paintings…

Could you explain the partnership with Artizan Editions to us more?

I was one of their first collaborative artists in 1995 I think .. Over the years we have produced hundreds of different prints- they are the most fantastic fine printers today and I’m honoured to still work with them.

Name 3 of your favourite places in Brighton to find inspiration for your works.

I just love the seafront, I’ve worked there for almost 30 years now. It’s firmly my favourite Brighton spot, but recently I’ve been sketching around the North Laine and really enjoying the colours, shapes and vibrancy. I also love my studio at home and find I get inspired by a vase or flowers or something very close by, which often appear in my still life work.

If you could live anywhere else in the world where else would you live?

Ooh, I just love Brighton so that’s a tricky question.  My mother is italian so I spent my childhood summers in a mountain village in the Marche, Italy with all my extended family- so I think it would be Italy. I’m not sure exactly where as there are so many wonderful parts- maybe I would travel around…

Christmas Giveaway!

We are delighted to be giving away Katty’s Brighton Pier print (seen above) on the 365 Instagram account this December. To enter the competition and to see the full details please visit @365_magazine on Insta. Winner will be announced on Wednesday 18th December 2019. T&C’s apply.

To find out more about The Two Kats & A Cow Gallery simply visit their website > twokatsandacow.co.uk

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