Karen Welsh

I was born in Surrey, January 1962 and came to live in Wiltshire in 2011.

Wiltshire, with its open chalk hills and wide valleys covered with hardy grasslands, provides the unique landscape that inspires me. The occasional tree dotted on the horizon accentuates the clean line between the earth and the sky. The feeling of freedom and being on top of the world is my inspiration.

I strive to make uplifting art that inspires a feeling of space and movement. The paintings are mainly abstracted Wiltshire landscapes using the shapes and colours given by the hedgerows and fields. I will adapt what I see for composition, interest and balance. The layers of paint will leave a hint of what was laid down before giving depth to the work.

An abstract work will start with a chosen set of colours made up into pots for speed and even colour distribution. Making up pots of colours also helps when working on a series. I have a good-size canvas on the easel which gives me plenty of room to move around. I start by liberally applying the colours to the canvas watered down to create translucent, thin washes of colour. The paint will move and mix on the canvas, flowing naturally making drips and almost bare patches. During the build-up of the w...

1982 – Completed a sign-writing apprenticeship then worked as a sign painter and commercial artist producing bespoke signs and pictorial art traditionally until 2011.

2011 Moved to Wiltshire to paint full-time.

Gallery representations

Lyons Gold Gallery, Ross-on-Wye, Hereford

The Wey Gallery, Godalming, Surrey.
(New work soon to be displayed)