Karen Topp

I am a French-born artist who has made London home for over twenty-five years.

My work revolves around the experience of places that I have seen; urban dwellings, forests or coastal vistas often come back as reoccurring motifs, to be explored again and again using different materials and details.

Through these, I examine the relationship between making and material, with a focus on repetition, rhythm, and the tactile qualities that come from exploring different surfaces. I am interested in how both my body and the materials respond to each other—showing tension, release, and unexpected visual results.

Over time, I have moved from painting alone into mixed media, textiles, animation, and working with found materials. I often start by focusing on small details or textures, and build new works around these fragments.

Karen is a self-taught artist who has refined her skills through various courses in institutions such as Central St Martins and the City Lit, London, UK, completing the Advanced Year of the Figure & Portrait (2021-22) and Extended Drawing for Artists and Makers (2023-24).

The Colour of Shadow, Original Gallery, London 2025
At The Door, Safehouse, London 2025
Surface, City Lit, London 2025
State of Flux, The Brick Lane Gallery, London 2025
Artsdepot Winter showcase, London, 2023-24
FLUID, Espacio Gallery, London, 2023
Gaia, Camden Image Gallery, London, 2023
What is Art, Boomer Gallery, London, 2023
Winter Exhibition, The Wood Norton, Cotswolds, UK, 2022-23
The Figure Reframed, City Lit, London, 2022
Finding the Light, Camden Image Gallery, London, 2021