Karen calls herself an experimentalist and enjoys working on new ideas , surfaces and materials.
Karen spends time observing , sketching and photographing. Taking images back to the studio and working in layers of paint and collage, mainly on wood, but also cartridge paper or printing surfaces, in both acrylic or occasionally oil.
Karen has developed a style ,which enables her to enjoy using many different materials including collage. The collage is often produced either by torn up old and discarded old paintings or prints , quite often randomly placed over a previously gessoed board . This allows her the freedom to paint with acrylic on the rough and uneven surface before applying further texture on the top. The texture on the top can have further surfaces applied and/or have mark making applied either with stencils or a tool of her choosing.
The end results can be challenging on occasions, and takes Karen time and lots of observational thought processing before she decides as to whether or not it is ready for framing and for exhibitions.
It took me time to admit to myself that I am an experimentalist.
When I took up art after a career as a midwife it was a surprise to me to discover that once I had started on the journey it was difficult to not have the desire to find more and more interesting ways to produce what I was trying to say and enjoy. The journey since then has been an exciting and often challenging one.
I attended Amersham and Wycombe Art Collage and this included the history of art where I was able to delve into many forms of art, giving me the freedom to use ideas and progress in my work.
I regulary attend workshops which helps me to grow and gain knowlewdge, and I also spent a year at the Newlyn School of Art in Cornwall.
Regulary exhibiting with other artists both locally and further a field and am a selected member of Bucks Art Society..
Accepted for the RA Summer Exhibition 2019, and the open exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery 2014.
Also exibited at the Highgate Scientific and Literary Institute, The Green and Stone Gallery, Chelsea, and The Connective Gallery , St Albans.
I was delighted to be asked to exhibit my work at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and you can see a selection of my work in the main entrance.
Last year I was contacted by Radio Dacorum and was invited to attend a live QA with my own music for an hour talking about my life as a midwife and now artist.
Since then I was also invited by Radio Christmas to do a further hour (A charitable station in aid of Street Kids Of Guatamala)
More recently I was also asked if I would do a commission to produce a piece of art for Amersham Museum . This now hangs in its newly appointed place.
My work has sold both locally and further afield including Hondurus.
