About the Artist
KATE TOVA
Kate Tova is an artist living and working in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Her dynamic paintings explore the constant transformation of nature and identity. Through the energetic use of color and shapes she redefines modern femininity as powerful, bold, and rebellious. Tova’s philosophical approach to painting translates the connection between humans and nature into radial compositions, bursting with life. Her primary visual language is mixed media painting with lush layered texture, giving it a sculptural quality.
Kate’s process involves months of collecting memories: photographs, studies and sketches that she later combines together in a bouquet and distorts using various physical or digital techniques. The painting process may involve layering of acrylic, oil, various gels, microballoons, wires or broken dishes on surfaces such as canvas, table tops, laser cut wood or books.
The radiant compositions she names "Glitches" draw us inward or burst outward from a tranquil center. This calm core is the eye of the storm, a serene sanctuary within our minds. The Glitches reflect our modern dynamic life and constantly growing and expanding universe — the big, chaotic, powerful act of creation. When Tova introduces the figure to the compositions, they pulse with a sense of ecstasy and overwhelm: a mix of intense feelings similar to looking at Jackson Pollock’s “Convergence” and Bernini’s “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa” at the same time.
Looking at Kate Tova’s work we’re reminded of the Ethos of Wabi Sabi — a Japanese concept embodying impermanence, imperfection, and the perpetual unfolding of all things. Kate has been exploring ways of visually portraying this constant state of change, transformation, growth, and renewal. She says, “The constant metamorphosis of nature is especially apparent in flowers, which stand as a symbol of perpetual transformation. When painting flowers, I’m also reminded of how powerful they are in the way they captivate us. In the overwhelming world where humans' attention span is so short, nature makes us pause. And, fascinatingly, art has the same power.”
Biography:
(b. 1995, Russia; lives and works in San Francisco & Los Angeles, CA, US)
Kate Tova grew up in the small rural town of Balakovo, Russia. Art has been a passion of hers since she could hold a brush. She studied at the Academy of Art in her hometown and quickly transitioned to painting professionally and exhibiting all over the world. She has been a full time artist since 2017, just a couple of years after moving to the United States. Kate is a passionate supporter of charity organizations that focus on women, animal welfare, and environmental issues. Through her art, she raises awareness and advocates for these important causes. She currently resides in San Francisco by Golden Gate Park with her partner, a dog and two cats.
CV
Exhibitions:
Solo
2010 “Spring mood”, City exhibition hall, Balakovo, Russia
2012 “Identity”, First Moscow Educational Complex, Moscow, Russia
2013 “New School of Art”, Shelk Gallery, Moscow, Russia
2019 “Krewe Des Femmes”, Canal Place, New Orleans, USA
2021 “Maskerade”, 765 Beach, San Francisco, USA
2023 “Glitches”, Adeeni, San Francisco, USA2023
2023 “Unbound”, 475 Sansome st, San Francisco, USA
2024 “Wild Glitches”, SCIC, San Francisco, USA
Group
2013 “New York Realism", West Park Art Gallery, New York, USA
2013 Berlin Art Week, KPB, Berlin, Germany
2014 “Time For ART. Part2”, ARTPLAY gallery, Moscow, Russia
2014 “World ORT”, Prague, Czech Republic
2016 “Spring Exhibition”, Isaac Delgado Fine Arts Gallery, New Orleans, USA
2017 “48th Annual River Road show”, Louisiana State Archives Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
2018 “BLOOM!”, R. W. Norton Art Gallery, Shreveport, LA, USA
2019 “ArtLaunch”, SOMArts, San Francisco, USA
2021 “Discolandia”, 111 Minna, San Francisco, USA
2022 "Palette Cleanser", Palette Gallery, San Francisco, USA
2023 “Edgy”, Fluo White gallery, Dubai
2024 Grand Opening Show, Vita Brevis Gallery, San Francisco
Awards:
2007 First place in the international competition “Open Europe”, Austria
2013 Second place in the international competition "Art Week in Berlin", Germany
2017 Denice Cyrex Ducote Memorial Award, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Education:
Academy of Art
Balakovo, Russia
2005 – 2010
Selected press / collaborations:
2010 “Look into my eyes”, Bumblebee Newspaper, #195
2011 “To the peak of inspiration”, Krug newspaper #225
2012 Illustration for the magazine Yoga Journal (#47)
2013 Publication in the magazine 'EUPHORIA' (February 2013)
2021 “San Francisco Magazine” Art Issue - Cover + p.58-59 (Dec 2021-Jan 2022)
2021 The San Franciscan, p.52-53 (issue #53)
2022 “American Dream” TV show, CBS
2021 Moncler Mother’s Day collaboration
2023 Cadillac Video Commercial
2024 “Artistic Angles”, Haute Living, March/April 2024