Karen Strong 
Artist & maker

With mindfulness techniques, one can become absorbed in what’s physically happening right now, so that there's no thought of the next moment and no distractions. I am interested in this silencing of noise.

​

I often take some time to stop and notice my senses during the mundanity and routine of everyday life. The experience of getting dressed can be an enveloping and immersive one. The feeling of fabric against bare skin and the familiar smell of our homes or detergent on our clothing can be warm and comforting. These solitary moments can be highly sensory.

 

I use snapshots of scenes like these, from intimate angles, to make series of acrylic paintings that capture these delicate moments in time. The paintings I create are often on wallpaper lining or sometimes painted directly onto fabric, connecting the tactility of the materials to the sense of touch. The colour palette is soft, cool and gentle.

​

The imagery used in my work is often private in nature, with figures putting on or taking off clothing. The painted figures are engrossed in their own moment, unaware of the viewer. Their bodies float in space.