“A Walking Canvas”
I am so excited to introduce you to my collection of Katherine Hughes hand-painted shoes, where you can wear the change you wish to see in the world.
Although I grew up in Tanzania, I have spent much of my life on the move. I love having a base in London now, but exploration will always be a big part of my life. I love to travel! I love to see the world. And so it makes me happy that my next collection is all about movement. The paintings in my A Walking Canvas series will never stay still.
Tying a Bow on a New Idea
The seed of the idea for A Walking Canvas came a few days before one of my previous exhibition openings. I was about to showcase a series of paintings called Celebrating Britain’s Beauty, and I wanted to wear something that reflected my theme. I am a passionate lover of fashion, but I am also a big believer in sustainability. My work is about protecting our environment and wild spaces, and so although I worked in the fashion industry in Paris for a while, I couldn’t justify a fast fashion choice. Instead, I decided to take a pair of shoes I already owned and paint an echo of the exhibition onto them in the form of sunflowers. What could be more perfect?
And then, of course, at the exhibition, my shoes got almost as much attention as my oil paintings. They received so much interest from my wonderful friends and supporters that it made me think about giving other people the opportunity to carry a piece of wild art with them on the move. And so the idea for a collection, not of paintings, but of hand-painted shoes, was born.
Leaving Only Lovely Footprints
I have chosen to paint sneakers from the Adidas Sustainable Collection because I believe in sustainable, slow fashion, and I want the shoes to last as long as possible. Each pair will have a unique design to remind the wearer of the beauty and vulnerability of our wild spaces.
I love that no two people will ever have the same pair of Katherine Hughes shoes!
I just loved the idea of taking shoes — one of the most common and disposed-of items of clothing — and making them into a form of wearable art that celebrates the beauty of nature. I think it is a lovely way to invite people to become a part of a movement that supports the protection of our planet.
To Walk Far, Walk Together
50% of the profits from 'A Walking Canvas' will go directly towards a charity I have handpicked. I will be working with charities that I know well, ones that make an immediate, uplifting difference in the world. My idea is to take this collection worldwide and to use it to support many wonderful causes that I believe in.
The first charity I have chosen is very close to my heart: KidzCare provides support, education, nutrition, and community services to children living in rural areas of Tanzania, my home. I believe that sustainable change starts with education, and with our young people.
I am so excited to invite you to the launch of my A Walking Canvas collection, an exhibition at Café Phillies on October 19th.
