Kitty Guthrie Oakley

Kitty Guthrie Oakley is an artist and illustrator who lives and works in Essex. Kitty’s work explores her own interest in people and their stories, both real and imaginary, and the eccentricities of human nature. Inspired by childhood books and comics, popular culture and nonsense, Kitty enjoys combining playful and colourful imagery with an undercurrent of dark humour.

Kitty comments “I draw in my sketchbook daily – from life, imagination or old magazines and books discovered in boot fairs and charity shops. My sketchbooks are my playground and my safe place for developing ideas for themed series of work or illustration commissions. The media I use depends on what I’m trying to achieve with each piece: I paint, create handmade screenprints and books, and also make papier mache figures and puppets.”

Kitty Guthrie Oakley graduated in illustration from the University of Brighton in 2000, and in 2008 gained the MA (distinction) in Children’s Book Illustration from the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

Since moving to the Essex seaside in 2005, she has been exhibiting and selling her artworks. She also teaches art to adults part-time, and provides workshops for children. Kitty is a part of the Inky Crows illustrators’ collective, and a member of the Hive Artist Studiosin Chelmsford.

and recently….

Kitty has sold two of her works to Tom Parker-Bowles at an auction/gala dinner (cooked by Heston Bluementhal) at the Savoy.

The works were Lucky Lulu and Rita’s thrilling thighs!!