About Kate Clarke

Q: What is a katydid?

A: Another name for a bush cricket. They have characteristic antennae which are usually at least as long as their bodies. Baby katydids are particularly cute and it is those which inspired my logo design and company name.

Born Catherine Elizabeth Clarke on February 3rd 1970, I grew up in Saltaire,West Yorkshire. From a very young age I knew that I loved to draw and work with paper, spending hours creating comics, books and paper dolls.

At school I gained grade A in ‘O’ level Art and went on to take A level Art the following year, also achieving an A grade.

I won an ESU scholarship to attend St. John’s – Ravenscourt school in Winnipeg, Canada graduating in the class of ’89.

On returning to England I briefly attended North Staffordshire Polytechnic, in Stoke-on-trent, studying multi-disciplinary design, before realising after one term that the course was not for me and returning to Bradford.

In 1991, I moved to Hebden Bridge with my partner, Les and have lived there ever since. After the birth of my daughter in 1992, I began childminding and studying for an NVQ in childcare and education at a local college.

For the next thirteen years my creative energy went into projects with the children I worked with, both as a nursery nurse and then again as a childminder after the birth of my son in 2000.

In 2004, I decided on a career change and began working on various textile and design projects such as memory quilts and spot illustrations/logo design.