BEAUTY AT HOME WITH

What does the beauty of home truly mean? For artist Katie Graham, it is a deeply personal interplay of art and nature — a space that is both a sanctuary and studio where creativity flows freely.

In her light-filled Sydney home on the edge of Ku-ring-gai National Park, Katie’s art, life, and family are inseparably intertwined. The textures of natural fibres, the warmth of artworks gathered from around the world each marking a chapter of her life, and the constant presence of nature all come together to shape a home that feels both grounded and alive.

Here, we explore how her surroundings and family life inspire her creative practice, how art becomes a vessel for memory, and how the imperfections weave together to create a space that is uniquely her own. For Katie, home is not just a place, but a feeling shaped by art, memories, and connection.

To me, the beauty of home lies in the flow of creativity. My studio has always been at home, so my art and life are completely intertwined. Life is art, and both the work I create and the life I live unfold within these walls. Home is a sacred space and the beauty isn’t in perfection, but in the feeling – the light through the windows, the mess of materials, the stillness, the love, the laughter and sometimes the tears. It holds the energy of family, of making, of discovery, a place where everything meaningful happens.

By far the greatest source of inspiration in my home is its deep connection to nature. On the edge of Ku-ring-gai National Park, the house feels completely immersed in light, trees, and birdsong and it’s a constant reminder of the beauty and rhythm of the natural world. I work from a simple but beautiful studio where I can paint, experiment, and make a mess to my heart’s content. It’s my happy place—open, grounded, and alive with possibility, whilst looking out onto the serene expanse of the national park just beyond the window.

Our art has been slowly and lovingly collected over the years. It’s a reflection of the many homes we’ve lived in as a family – each piece a reminder of a place, a moment, or a friendship. Much of it has been made by special friends, and together these works hold our stories and treasured memories. They remind us that home is not just a place, but a feeling we carry with us.

Natural fibres are both a material and a metaphor in my work. Their presence in my home, whether it’s linen on the kitchen table or silk in the studio, remind me of the quiet poetry of the handmade. I’m also drawn to fibres like kibiso, and jute for their irregularity and rawness. These textures all carry a story of human touch, which deeply influences the tactile and emotional qualities I explore in my work. They inspire both softness and strength, which are elements I express through layering, tone, and form. In many ways, the fibres that surround me at home become a kind of language I translate into sculpture and my textile paintings, hopefully evoking beauty, simplicity and the organic forms of the natural world.

Making and creating everyday in a space where I can also share all the conversations and special milestones of family life.

@bykatiegraham | bykatiegraham.com