Kate Jackson Finds New Art in the Mundane
From Indie Stardom to Motorway Muse
Years after her stint as the charismatic frontwoman of cult band The Long Blondes, Kate Jackson is revealing a hidden truth about her past: the most enduring images from her music career weren’t of stages or crowds, but rather the overlooked landscapes of European travel.
The Road Less Photographed
The Sheffield-born singer, known for her stylish persona and the band’s energetic synth-punk sound, admitted to a surprising lack of band-focused photographs from The Long Blondes’ “short but spectacular heyday.” Instead, her personal archives are filled with images of “airport lounges and long stretches of road in Europe,” including numerous German service stations. This focus on the journey, rather than the destination or the performance, has profoundly shaped her second career as a visual artist.
Transforming Concrete into Art
Jackson’s visual art injects bold, pop art colours and sharp geometric lines into often-ignored elements of the motorway network. Her paintings evoke a feeling akin to **Ed Ruscha’s** gas stations driven by the rhythmic pulse of Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn.” She cites artists like Andy Warhol and Jeffrey Smart, alongside the lyricism of Jarvis Cocker, as key inspirations.
“I love how he could write about the interior of a bedroom and make it seem like the most exotic, romantic place in the world,” Jackson says. “I try to do the same thing with my paintings of flyovers and bridges. Nobody really takes any notice of them. You’re always whizzing by. But there’s always a moment when the light catches them in a particular way and makes them seem incredibly beautiful.”
—Kate Jackson, Artist
Jackson’s artistic journey has taken a new turn as she was selected to curate the theme for DRAW!, a nationwide drawing initiative associated with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Her chosen theme, “landscape,” aims to inspire people of all ages to sketch their surroundings, encouraging a pause and reflection.
Artistic Evolution Through New Projects
This new role has prompted Jackson to revisit her artistic roots and experiment. “It’s funny,” she commented, “You spend years trying to develop your own style, to make your work recognisable. But then you get stuck in that style. You stop experimenting and you stop being playful. And art is all about experimentation and being playful.” As a result, she is developing new work incorporating celestial astrological symbols and animals, a significant departure from her previous motorway-focused pieces.
Jackson’s artistic path began in childhood, drawing alongside her mother. A fine art degree was set aside when The Long Blondes gained momentum, though she continued to create artwork for their record sleeves. She believes a painting of Diana Dors from her student days helped solidify the band’s aesthetic: a blend of vintage glamour, literary influences, and sharp guitar riffs.
The Long Blondes achieved critical acclaim and cultivated a dedicated following with anthems like “Giddy Stratospheres.” The band disbanded after guitarist Dorian Cox suffered a stroke, impacting his ability to play.
Following a solo album, “British Road Movies,” released in 2016 and co-written with Bernard Butler, Jackson shifted her focus back to painting, honing her skills in Rome. While her visual art continues to explore brutalist architecture and infrastructure, she has recently rediscovered her passion for music. During lockdown, Jackson began composing electronic music, leading to a collaboration with Martyn Ware of Heaven 17. Her track “Don’t Doubt Your Power,” under the moniker Corselette, is set for release with a Terry Farley remix later this year.
Despite not achieving the commercial success of bands like Kaiser Chiefs, Jackson feels her debut album, “Someone to Drive You Home,” remains a strong work. She fondly recalls her time in the band as a significant era, stating, “In terms of getting to be in a band, that whole period was really the last hurrah.”
Jackson is now inviting the public to participate in the DRAW! project by sketching landscapes. More details are available at bradford2025.co.uk. The project aims to foster a deeper connection with our surroundings, a sentiment that echoes Jackson’s own artistic evolution from the fleeting excitement of the music scene to the enduring beauty found in everyday, overlooked places.
