karen brock
Figurative Paintings
Nocturne Paintings
Karen is an emerging artist with a painting practice on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
Using traditional oil painting techniques and regularly painting from direct observation, my subject matter will be familiar; a natural landscape, an Australian beach scene as well as interiors compositions, still life and figure paintings.
I'm currently working on a series of Nocturne suburban scapes, the night light encourages a focus on colour value. Viewing the night landscape removes the visual noise of busy details apparent in daylight and takes me back to a nostalgic time in Australia with less dense housing and more trees and open spaces in suburban neighbourhoods.
I love the blue hour, when indoor lights turn on and beckon us home, our place to retreat and recharge.
2024
Selected as a finalist in the National Emerging Art Prize
Selected as a finalist in the Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Prize
Selected as a finalist in the Lethbridge Landscape Prize
Selected to Exhibit at The Other Art Fair SYD May 2024
2023
Selected as a finalist in the Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Prize
Selected as a finalist in the Lethbridge Landscape Prize
Where We Live Group Show - Creative Space, Curl Curl March 2023
Selected as a finalist in the Mosman Rowers Art Prize
Mosman Rowers Art Prize Exhibition - The Mosman Rowers Club, March 2023
2022
Selected as a Bluethumb Art Prize Finalist with her Australian Gum treescape 'Breakthrough'
Karen's sensitive depiction of local Swamp Gum trees as they appeared in silhouette, with a stormy sky backdrop in 'Swamp Gums at Noon' was selected by the Michael Reid curator Amber-Creswell Bell for her ACB Selects Online Exhibition.
These paintings depict the unique tree canopy shapes of the dominant Australian tree species occurring in the Narrabeen Lake area - the Swamp Mahogany (Eucalyptus Robusta) and Swamp She-Oak (Casuarina Glauca).
5 Year Anniversary Exhibition- Northern Beaches Gallery, Cromer, June 2022
National Emerging Art Prize, ACB Selects Exhibition February 2022
Land & Sea Exhibition, Northern Beaches Gallery, Cromer, March 2022
2021
A collection of Karen's Floral Still Life oil paintings were exhibited as part of a Still Life Group Show at Northern Beaches Gallery, Cromer.
From time spent immersed in the natural landscape at Eramboo artist environment, Karen completed a series of plein air oil studies of the bush understory.