Biography
Katie Saunders is a British fine artist and composer based in La Seyne-sur-Mer on the Côte d’Azur.
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Her practice moves seamlessly between landscape and figurative work, with a particular focus on portraiture, animal portraiture and classical nude observations. Rooted in traditional draughtsmanship, her work pays quiet homage to classical technique while remaining contemporary in tone and material.
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Working primarily in oils alongside graphite, pastel, charcoal and Polychromos coloured pencil, she is drawn to media that reward patience, precision and depth. Across subjects, her paintings and drawings explore structure, light and emotional presence with measured restraint.
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Before relocating to the South of France, Katie spent a decade in London teaching vocal technique and contemporary music at diploma and university level. During this period she also founded Oblivion Jewellery and became an international opal dealer, developing a reputation for refined design, material integrity and discerning gemstone curation. The compositional discipline and sensitivity to proportion cultivated through both music and jewellery design remain integral to her artistic language.
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Inspired by the coastal light and layered textures of the Var — and by the enduring geometry of the human form — her work reflects a dialogue between tradition and modernity, structure and atmosphere.
Alongside her studio practice, she composes and performs contemporary music with the ensemble The Southern Electric, continuing her lifelong exploration of composition across disciplines.
Across all mediums, her philosophy remains constant: structure does not confine creativity — it elevates it.
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