You might know me as KaperKate on social media. I’m a paper artist, or a paper engineer, and the natural world brings me such joy I aim to evoke this cheerful wonder, in sculptural form, for your walls, bookshelves and mantelpieces.

My love of print making began on my foundation course when I was 18. It was the first time I had ever used a printing press and I found it such a joy to build on drawings with textures and patterns. Ever the optimist, I embarked on a 3D design course at University, without ever having made anything 3D before. I spent three years playing with wood, metals and plastics. After my degree in Design: Crafts, I began designing paper sculptures, incorporating screen printing techniques. I’ve been making animals ever since.

My very first job was in the summer after graduation, building life size furniture sculptures for the flagship store of Harvey Nichols in London. The display was featured as an example of great window dressing in the Channel 4 program Mary Queen of Shops. I won three awards at The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair and held an open studio shop at Manchester Craft & Design Centre, until I decided to move on in 2020. I was recently featured on Granada Reports promoting 50 Windows of Creativity, an initiative that featured 50 artists in window displays across Manchester. I was so delighted to have my window at the fabulous Manchester Museum.

My studio was open to the public for many years. Frequent visitors were city workers, who often remarked on visiting for a moment of cheer between their hectic schedules. This is exactly what I hope to evoke in my work; cheerful design that brings joy to your décor.

My work has been featured in various magazines over the years, including Country Living and Vogue. And I’m delighted to call myself a selected maker of the Crafts Council Directory and the Find A Maker directory. My work is stocked at the fabulous online marketplaces for small business Made By Hand Online and Holly & Co.

I have been in business for 16 years and participate in exhibitions and shows across the country. I have also recently started delivering occasional online workshops where I can share my love of paper crafting.

PROCESS

Every part of the making process is done by hand, transforming sketches into unique sculptures.

I begin with doodles in my sketch books, before working out a template for a three dimensional design. This is my favourite part: working out the maths, armed with sellotape and a protractor. The structure of the design is very important, because I want my designs to be as strong as possible. My sculptures are much sturdier than they look! Once happy with the shape, I print the template onto 300 gsm recycled watercolour paper. Then a blank silk screen is used to draw individual patterns and textures onto the paper. This process ensures each sculpture is unique. The prints are cut out by hand and glued together. Once built, the sculpture may require extra embellishments, such as feathery hair dos or steel wire feet. They are then varnished with a UV protective lacquer and finished with rhinestone eyeballs.

My favourite part of the process is designing, so new fellas are constantly being added to the menagerie.

A LOVE OF PAPER

I spent three years experimenting with wood and plastics and metals during my degree. These materials were fun, but it can be difficult working within their limitations. My prototypes were always paper. Paper seemed limitless. It will bend and shape in every direction. It can be strong and fragile simultaneously. It takes colour and textures in any way you can imagine applying them. It is also ordinary and unassuming- we have all made a paper boat or an aeroplane! There are also so many options for creating work with very little environmental impact. My designs begin as a doodle in a sketchbook and it pleases me that the same material is used for the finished piece. I use a few recycled papers for my sculptures, all chosen for their strength, lovely textures and environmental impact.

A LOVE OF NATURE

Who doesn’t love the idea of living in the wood, at one with nature, among animal pals, like Snow White or Tarzan! I’m actually a city girl, but grew up on my dad’s allotment, with a love of plants and the countryside. Animals have also been an important part of my life. I am a bit of an introvert and find cats much easier to talk to than humans! It might be that my affinity for animals is in the genes- my grandad was the head zookeeper at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester. As a child, I was obsessed with the peregrine falcon and have always been fascinated with birds. Four years ago I took on two Senegal parrots from Birdline, a charity for abandoned and mistreated parrots. But by in large animals belong in the wild and so I create sculptures in an attempt to capture their beauty. We can’t keep a barn owl in the living room, so I make paper versions to spread a little joy of them instead. Being in nature is good for the soul and I hope to convey the happiness it evokes in me in my work.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

I aim to run as environmentally friendly business as I can, and all of the materials are vegan. Paper used in the sculptures, postcards and card for packaging all comes from recycled stock. Parcels are wrapped with paper ribbon and sealed with paper tape. I hope to strike a good balance between aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious. My business creates very little waste and all the packaging from my parcels can go in the recycling bin (Yes, including tape and stickers).

SMALL BUSINESS LOVE

I’ve run my small business for 17 years, and I am proud to support others where I can. And I aim to purchase my supplies from small companies who deliver quality materials while also having good ethics and green environmental concerns.

My recycled paper comes from GF Smith. Art supplies largely come from Fred Aldous. My postcards are printed by Hatch and I get my snazzy parcel tape from Cascayde.

I live in Manchester, where I screen print, design and build sculptures in between playing with two rescue Senegal parrots, Sam and Pidgeon. When not making sculptures, I’m building toys and play gyms for these delightful rascals.

If you’d like to know more about me and my work, you’re very welcome to subscribe to the menagerie for email updates, or follow me on social media.