Imperfect
Karen Sherwood
8 Feb - 14 Mar

Preview: Friday 7 February, 7:30pm All welcome.

Karen Sherwood, better known as founder and director of Cupola Gallery opens her solo show at the gallery on 7 February.

“My paintings are an attempt to express the diversity of my experiences through the qualities of colour, light and texture found so readily in the natural world. They are inspired by specific places although are rarely topographically accurate.” Karen Sherwood

Blue features prominently in the show as inspiration is often drawn from the sea and the range of blues available from the deepest indigo to the softest of pale blues are highly evocative and seem to offer endless possibilities. Karen often says that the paintings are as much about herself as about the places from which she draws inspiration.

“I use colours and marks intuitively when I paint and I build up many layers of colour and texture over time, building up and scraping back until I am satisfied, although I am rarely fully satisfied.

I love to draw outdoors in all weathers, resulting in rather a strange sight for passers by who may see what looks like a paint spattered bed sheet on the edge of a cliff or a hillside! I nearly always use chalk pastels and get very dirty in the process.

I love the coastline of Northumberland and the hills and light of North and South Yorkshire.

Drawings made on site are topographical but paintings inspired by these drawings are usually completely different as my response to the act of painting overtakes my desire to reproduce an image of the specific place. This results in both completely abstract images and landscape images of ‘no fixed abode’. Aspects of light are almost always evident in my work.

I do not attempt to mimic the perfection of nature. Many of my marks are accidental and unrefined, however I believe that these imperfections are a clear indication of what it means to be human.” Karen Sherwood

Karen will be exhibiting approximately 30 oil paintings on paper, canvas and board. Sizes vary from less than 5 cm square up to 120 x 100 cm.

Works for sale. Prices from £95 - £2000.

Karen Sherwood graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 1990, establishing Cupola Gallery in 1991. She has work in Public Collections in the UK and in private collections internationally.