Karen Fitzpatrick

I am a contemporary abstract landscape artist. I grew up in South Wales where from an early age I developed a love of nature and being outdoors. I have had a passion for art since early childhood and landscape has always been my inspiration. Growing up I was particularly drawn to the sense of depth and space along the vast rugged mountains of the Brecon Beacons and felt awakened by the energy of the South Wales coastline. I now live on the edge of the Cotswolds and draw my inspiration from the local landscape especially around Bredon Hill.

My paintings are always an emotional response to the ever-changing landscape around me. I often feel a spiritual connection with nature. This connection draws me in and compels me to paint. My intention is to create an essence of a moment, to evoke a sense of the elements, give an impression of form and shape, or capture a fleeting glimpse of a colour. I like to work with a limited colour palette, deciding at the start on just three or four colours which I mix to create a harmonious range. I begin with an emotional memory from a place and then let the painting develop from within using my plein air sketches as reference.

I enjoy using mixed media on cradled panel, canvas board or paper. Colour, marks, and texture are all important to me. I enjoy the journey of painting and my initial marks are loose, intuitive, and spontaneous. I then use acrylic paint, collage, inks, and pastels, working back into the painting layering colours and often stripping back areas to reveal hidden glimpses from beneath.