Margate-born-and-now-based artist Kellie Hogben is exhibiting her work on the guest wall of Westgate Galleria for the month.
While studying Fine Art at the University for the Creative Arts (Canterbury) she became well-known for her obsession with depicting teacups in oils and coloured pencil and was nicknamed ‘the teacup lady’. Later, she found inspiration in her ‘day jobs’ at various arts organisations and became enamoured with the local geography and architecture.
Working without a designated studio and wanting to keep cat hair out of her paint, her art has reduced in scale over the years, resulting in miniature acrylic landscapes and intricate pen work, affectionately known as ‘doodles’. Having always hyper-fixated on tiny details- recently revealed to be a symptom of previously overlooked ADHD- Kellie often depicts usually-ignored subjects, such as rooftops and skylines, or fiddley patterns in foliage or folded fabric.
Kellie exhibited her ‘Viking Bay, Broadstairs’ illustration in the Turner Contemporary Open last year, where it was displayed immediately next to Tracey Emin’s submission. There is now a second opportunity to see this work, alongside a piece in a similar style of Ramsgate Harbour which is being shown publicly for the first time at the Westgate Galleria exhibition.
Both original and limited edition prints are for sale, and the prints are available framed and unframed. Kellie is also producing hand-drawn, one-off greetings cards as an affordable way for people to own or gift original artwork.
Kellie has exhibited across the South East; most notably in the Turner Contemporary Open in 2021, but also the Festival of Cats, POW! Thanet, Pie Factory Margate, Marlowe Theatre, and, of course, Westgate Galleria.
The exhibition runs until Wednesday 28 September. Entry is free, parking nearby is free, and the Galleria is open daily except Sundays, 10am to 5pm. The Westgate Galleria is in Station Road.
There will be a private view on Saturday 10 September, 5pm – 7pm, which everyone is invited to, to enjoy the artwork with some light refreshments, and meet the artist. You can also meet the artist on Monday 12 September, when Kellie will be in the gallery, 11am – 4pm, creating some new artwork.
Visit linktr.ee/kelliehogben for links to her social media, exhibitions, and press coverage.
