Karen Stamper

Growing up on the east coast of Yorkshire as a happy beachcomber, I was attracted to the faded painted wood, scraps of gaudy plastic, brightly coloured fishing floats and nets: all sun dried, sand blasted, salted and weathered. Later I headed south until I came to bright blue skies, long skinny palm trees and buildings glowing in the Mediterranean sun. It was here that I felt at home.

My signature work work consists of vibrant, bold colours with strong architectural shapes and patterns. I take my inspiration from my travels and the urban shoreline; weathered walls, decorative motifs and lettering and recently allotments. Increasingly, there is a strong abstract element, but there remain recognisable parts that draw the viewer in: the hook of a crane, the bow of a boat, the profile of a mast, all of which plays on the viewer’s imagination.

Born in Yorkshire, I attended art college in Bradford then headed south to far sunnier countries.

I spent the next ten years travelling and working overseas. I am a collector, traveller, observer, an adventurer. My sketchbook is my best travel companion and recently I have returned to drawing and mark making more and more. Pre covid I started a series of drawings from the allotments, and in lockdown this has moved onto flowers.

In a new situation I am alert to the feel, shape, movement and life of the subject. Back in my studio I recompose, build up, conceal and reveal, deliberately avoiding representational clarity to create vibrant compositions, never knowing how the piece will develop. Collage and acrylic are so versatile and immediate, I love the spontaneity of the ripped and cut line and the ‘history’ of a piece of abandoned paper combined and layered with juicy paint. It is a controlled yet intuitive development that allows me a huge amount of freedom to interpret my sketches in a bold and original way.