Her painting practice mimicks the natural processes of growth and erosion, adding and taking away, until each artwork feels complete - a balance of stillness and movement, past and present.
Kerry Souter is a Scottish abstract artist working predominantly in acrylic paint and mixed media. She creates intuitive, ethereal, multi-layered artworks with a strong focus on texture and collage. Her work is an emotional response to her exploration of the rich textures and organic patterns found in the coastal landscape of Scotland.
Artistic Background and Education
Born in 1970 in Dundee, Scotland, Kerry studied at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen where she received a BA(Hons) in Textile Design and Surface Decoration in 1992. Her textile background took her career in many directions over the years, including working with felt, before she began painting and exhibiting professionally in 2020. Her love of textiles continues to influence her current work, bringing a tactile sensitivity and understanding of surface that distinguishes her painting practice.
Kerry Souter's Creative Process
Working from her studio in Ayr, close to the beach that provides her main source of inspiration, Kerry draws deeply on her personal connections and emotions linked with the coastal landscape of Scotland. She gathers memories and found objects relating to a place or moment in time, aiming to create complex areas of intimate detail within expressive, abstract landscapes. Her paintings combine the rich textures and organic patterns found in nature with an intuitive, emotional response to place.
Kerry works in series, with paintings completed over a period of several weeks or months depending on their size. She slowly builds layers of texture, semi-transparent glazes, and collage, adding and subtracting with each application to create depth and history in each piece. This process mirrors the natural erosion and growth she observes along Scotland's coastline, where tide shapes sand and shingle, moss and lichen grow on stone, and streams wear desire paths through the landscape. Her abstract works are available for sale through several UK galleries, where collectors can buy pieces that bring the contemplative beauty and layered textures of Scottish coastal landscapes into their homes.
Recognition and Community
Kerry is a member of Open Studios Ayrshire, Visual Arts Association, and Connected Artist Club. Her work has been exhibited around the UK and can be found in private collections in the UK and USA.
Buy Kerry Souter Abstract Art
Kerry's multi-layered paintings invite viewers into a space of introspection and calm, offering a visual meditation on change, resilience, and the layered nature of experience. Each work holds a sense of its own history, an interplay of past, present, and future that resonates with those who appreciate art that reveals itself slowly over time. The colours, textures, and forms of Scotland's coastline inspire her palette and composition, creating pieces that evoke a sense of balance, flow, and timelessness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kerry Souter
What characterises Kerry Souter's abstract paintings?
Kerry Souter creates intuitive, ethereal, multi-layered abstract paintings with a strong focus on texture and collage. Her work translates the rich textures and organic patterns of Scotland's coastal landscape into expressive compositions built up over weeks or months. The paintings feature complex areas of intimate detail, semi-transparent glazes, and layered surfaces that mirror natural processes of erosion and growth, creating depth and history in each piece.
What interiors complement Kerry Souter's work?
Kerry's abstract coastal landscapes work beautifully in calm, contemplative spaces where their layered textures and subtle colour palettes can create a sense of tranquillity. The organic forms and earthy tones suit coastal homes, Scandi-inspired interiors, or contemporary spaces with natural materials like wood and stone. Her work brings the peaceful, meditative quality of Scotland's shoreline indoors, making them ideal for bedrooms, sitting rooms, or wellness spaces where you want to encourage reflection and calm.
How do you display Kerry Souter's textured paintings?
Kerry's multi-layered works benefit from placement where changing light throughout the day can reveal the intricate textures and translucent glazes she builds into each piece. Position them at eye level in spaces where you'll pause regularly, allowing the subtle details to emerge over time. The contemplative nature of her work suits quieter areas of the home, and the tactile surfaces are best appreciated when viewers can get close enough to see the complex layering and collage elements.
What makes Kerry Souter's work worth collecting?
Kerry Souter brings a unique background in textile design that informs her distinctive approach to surface and texture in painting. Since beginning to exhibit professionally in 2020, her work has already entered private collections in both the UK and USA, indicating growing collector interest. Her membership in Open Studios Ayrshire and Visual Arts Association demonstrates professional engagement. Artists who combine strong technical craft with emotionally resonant subject matter and distinctive process often develop loyal collector followings.
How does Kerry's textile background influence her painting?
Kerry's BA(Hons) in Textile Design and Surface Decoration from Gray's School of Art continues to influence her tactile approach to painting. Her years working with felt and textiles developed her sensitivity to surface, layering, and texture, which translates directly into her multi-layered painting process. The collage elements, built-up surfaces, and attention to how materials interact reflect her textile origins, creating paintings that reward both visual and almost tactile engagement.
Browse our collection of exquisite Kerry Souter art