Karen Strang
“Recognised for her large-scale punchy and hard-hitting oil paintings, Strang was described in a recent review as “a superb draughtsman” (Clare Henry, Artlyst, 5 March 2018).
A Scottish-Polish heritage defines the visual language expressed in paint by Karen Strang. Juxtaposing bright coloured motifs of European folklore with muted hues of the landscape, Strang has been equally inspired by travels through Central Europe and working plein air in Scotland.
A graduate of Drawing and Painting at Glasgow School of Art, she was encouraged by her professor Alexander Moffat to consider the political as well as the visceral aspects of painting. After receiving the Newbery Medal and the Sir William Gillies Travelling Scholarship amongst other awards, further study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw during a tumultuous political period in the mid 1980s led Strang to working in installation and performance after seeing Tadeusz Kantor.
Returning to painting in recent years, but steeped in all these influences, Strang explores expressive figuration outlining the human condition whilst utilising aspects of archetypes found in mythology and close observation of natural form.
Available work by Karen Strang:
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POA
Alla Prima
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on board. Image size: 60x31cm Framed and glazed size: 87x60cm -
POA
Backdrop
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on card. Image size: 51x39cm Framed and glazed size: 83×69.5cm -
POA
Canvas Stretch 1
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on pastel paper. Image size: 65x50cm Framed and glazed size: 78.5×63.5cm -
POA
Canvas Stretch 2
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on pastel paper. Image size: 65x50cm Framed and glazed size: 78.5×63.5cm -
POA
Sunkissed on Sofa
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on board. Image size: 38x55cm Framed and glazed size: 67x84cm -
POA
The Artist Reinvents Herself
Karen StrangPastel on board. Image size: 53x35cm Framed and glazed size: 85x63cm -
POA
The Artist’s Gaze
Karen StrangAquarelle and ink on board. Image size: 31x18cm Framed and glazed size: 55×40.5cm -
POA
The Crimson Cushion
Karen StrangOil and carbon on pastel paper. Image size: 60x48cm Framed and glazed size: 87.5×77.5cm -
POA
The Reader
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on pastel paper. 40x29cm -
POA
The Studio Window
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on gessoed board. Image size: 63x42cm Framed and glazed size: 79×57.5cm -
POA
White Dress, Red Chair
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on board. Image size: 46x33cm Framed and glazed size: 72×58.5cm -
POA
White Dress, Black Boa
Karen StrangPastel and carbon on gessoed board. Image size: 74x53cm Framed and glazed size: 91x71cm -
POA
The Tango Skirt
Karen Strang39cm x 50cm pastel on board -
POA
Red Lipstick and Green Dress
Karen Strang64cm x 43cm mixed media -
POA
Blue Thai Dress
Karen Strang56cm x 75cm acrylic with mixed media -
SOLD
Scandalous
Karen Strang70cm x 39cm pastel -
SOLD
Second Skin
Karen Strang40cm x 56cm pastel