Kate Esplen was born Catherine Van Toch in Montreal, Canada. She studied at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts under Group Of Seven member Arthur Lismer, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Sir George Williams University (now Concordia), worked in the interior design and graphic design fields, and established Van Toch Designs Limited. The firm served national and international clients and over a period of fifteen years winning numerous awards for art and design, including the prestigious Toronto Art Directors Club awards and Canadian Direct Marketing awards.

Kate has exhibited in the Ormond Museum of Art, Eustis Museum of Art, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Florida Museum of Art, Deland Florida; Mt. Dora Center for the Arts, Left Side Gallery, Flesherton, Ontario; Loft Gallery, Clarksburg,On., Butter Gallery Collingwood, Ontario; Georgian Bay Arts and Crafts Association gallery; Toad Hall Gallery, Costa Rica, M V Conta in Costa Rica, and numerous private galleries. Her work hangs in private, municipal and corporate collections in Canada, Europe, Australia and the USA.