2022 Senior Exhibition Artists

Kate Mello

Art + Design: Illustration

About Kate Mello

Kate Mello is a twenty-two year-old illustrator from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. She found a love for drawing when they were a kid but got more serious about it in high school. She has a strong love for tattoo design, product design, and freelance illustration. Illustrations can be powerful and impactful to everyone. Besides illustration she enjoys block printing and painting.

Statement

My work explores queer iconography and questions why we most often see art through a heterosexual lens as opposed to a queer lens. I have created a tarot card deck from a lesbian point of view to challenge this point. My aesthetic is informed by queer media; “But I'm a cheerleader” is one example of a card that is influenced by contemporary queer terminology. As my sexuality became clearer to me over the past three years, my interest in representing queer culture and bodies has been in the front of my mind. I am finally able to use subject matter that interests me, and I am excited to expand my knowledge of a queer perspective in art. I intend to communicate about a culture that many people might not have access to or have never taken the time to understand closely.

I use a brushwork style of detailing, employing thick black or colorful contrasting lines to accentuate my painting or illustration. Taking inspiration from Fleshpng, Mag Monore, Rachel Ford, Aubrey Beardsley, and Americana tattoos. I like to incorporate colors into a mostly black ink drawing.