Kat Smith

I am a textile and surface designer who translates psychological states into tactile, expressive material outcomes. My collection Lost in a Daydream investigates how maladaptive daydreaming can be articulated through colour, texture and narrative motif. Using photography as a grounding method, documenting wildlife to steady drifting thought patterns and build a visual vocabulary rooted in quiet observation. These studies evolve into natural ink illustrations made with pH sensitive dyes, creating a palette that shifts through purples, pinks, greens and reds. Embracing controlled unpredictability, allowing colour to bleed and merge in ways that mirror imaginative space. Through digital manipulation, I develop these illustrations into prints for interiors and fashion. My practice explores liminality, material honesty and the gentle tension between reality and imagination, this approach strengthens my design language even as I continue refining my direction within textile design.