Karen Tompkins

My works reflects the complexity of an infinite cosmos in which everything is connected. As a result, the art I make depicts the universe from the micro to the macro scale while painting an intricate play of light and form. This awe of nature moves me to paint lengthy series that are inspired by various areas of science. By painting subjects such as the 118 Elements of the Periodic Table and the 110 objects in space of the Messier Catalogue, I explore the underlying architecture of the cosmos with its vast range of scale and infinite patterns.
As astrophysicist, Neil de Grasse Tyson says, “we are in the universe and the universe is in us.” With my art, I work to impart to the viewer a heightened sense of our place in the universe, as beings made of “star stuff.”

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, Graduate Studies
Academy of Fine Art, Rome, Italy
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, B.A.