Art Mediums: Painting, Drawing, Music

Neckel is an artist, collaborator, and musician. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries and on stage, and featured in national and international campaigns, projects, and limited-edition lines. In 2019, Neckel launched her music career when she collaborated with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lead guitarist from Pearl Jam, Mike McCready. They formed Infinite Color & Sound, an interactive art and music exhibition with a limited run of live shows that included onstage collaborations with the legendary photographer Danny Clinch and former Red Hot Chili Pepper Josh Klinghoffer. Early in her career, Neckel assisted David Byrne and documented the beginning of Zac Posen’s career. The footage appears in the film House of Z. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Dwell, The Oprah Magazine, Fast Company, GQ, and Luxe Interiors and Design, among others. She has been commissioned by and collaborated with private and corporate clients, including athletes, musicians, business leaders, The New York Times, Sotheby’s Home, and the Ace Hotel New York. She is also the author of Start Now! The Creativity Journal. Kate’s band, The Copper Trees, was named one of the “Five to Discover: Acts You Need to Know” by American Songwriter, and their debut album, “Rêver” is available on all platforms.

Kate Neckel earned her BA from the University of Maryland at College Park and her MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and the School of Visual Arts in New York. A resident of New York for seventeen years, she now makes her home in Seattle with her family

“Recently I’ve been inspired by trips to Cotati, CA with my bandmate Eric Lilavois. We’ve been working on some new material for our band “The Copper Trees” at Prairie Sun Recording and the trips have created paintings as well as songs inspired by those sessions. “Max & The Dream” (shown here, opposite page!) fell off my brush when we returned to Seattle…”“The “Drunk of the Week” years taught me a lot—it made me fall in love with the pursuit of authenticity, humor, and empathy. I love people and telling their stories. When I tell my own story, I often think of a mantra spoken by female French-American artist Louise Bourgeois, “It takes a certain courage to admit your own ridiculousness,” and that’s a recurring theme in my work.”

“The routine of finding moments to move my pen/brush on a daily basis has kept me connected to my truth... The little moments paint the bigger picture.”“I am wildly inspired by other photographers—by looking at the world through their unique lenses. Is this where I can name drop? Thanks, I will! I learned so much and am so grateful to have worked directly with Seattle artists Alice Wheeler, David Belisle, and Anne Marie Musselman. All three have mentored me and taught me to have confidence in my own way of seeing and documenting the world.”

“My time working as David Byrne’s art assistant made an imprint on me. His ability to move within various media (drawing, music, photography, etc.) and his sense of connectedness and curiosity inspire me to this day.”

Kate Neckel

Kelly O

Perri Rhoden