Portfolio
Selected paintings
Earthlings I
Acrylic on woodA3 format
Earthlings II
Acrylic on woodA3 format
Earthlings III
Acrylic on woodA3 format
Earthlings I-III Triptych
Acrylic on wood3 x A3 format
Solo Exhibition at Elms Window Gallery, Leyton, London, UK
Selected worksVarious formats
Reflection I-III
Acrylic on canvas3 x 8x6 inch canvas
Reflection I
Acrylic on canvas8x6 inch canvas
Reflection II
Acrylic on canvas8x6 inch canvas
Reflection III
Acrylic on canvas8x6 inch canvas
Grove Garden
Acrylic on wood97 x 61cm
Fruits of the forest
Acrylic on slate43 x 26cm
Discovered Gardens I-III
Acrylic on wood24 x 10 inch for whole triptych
Sunken
Acrylic on wood41 x 37.5cm
Storm in a sink
Oil on stainless steel54 x 57.5cm
Within
Acrylic on slate16 x 20 inch
Patterned Earth
Acrylic on wood16 x 20 inch
Heart of a Tree
Acrylic on wood61 x 167.5cm
Corporeal
Acrylic on wood2 x 122 x 106.5cm
Untitled
Acrylic on wood104.5 x 90.5cm
Limb-o
Acrylic on wood150 x 90.5cm
Fishbone
Acrylic on slate25 x 15cm
KitKat
Acrylic on canvas5x7 inch
Chewy
Acrylic on canvas5x7 inch
Bluebird
Acrylic on slate45 x 25cm
Wholly animal
Acrylic on slate52 x 13.5cm
Anemone
Acrylic on slate35 x 10cm
Snailscape
Acrylic on slate50 x 10cm
How I work
I enjoy working with found materials, such as slate, metal or painting on wood where I follow the grain pattern to find a new world to inhabit visually. I do paint on canvas, but I find a blank white canvas a little daunting. The texture of an alternative surface like wood will give hints of the forms I go on to create.
I draw on the myriad of patterns found within nature, frequently using these as abstract shapes for decorative effect and experimental mark making. I like to create fantasy scenes with the themes of the life cycle and the links between all living things from microscopic creatures to mountains or jungles.
I often start off with little idea of what I will come out with and the artwork reveals itself to me as I continue. I find this a more intuitive way to work rather than setting out a plan beforehand. Even with plans, the artwork invariably takes a new direction as I’m working so I may as well let go and let the process take me along with it.
Experience
- Elms Window Gallery, Leyton - solo show of selected paintings, 20 Aug - 9 Sept, Elms Window Gallery
- June, E17 Art Trail, Walthamstow, Group exhibition showing new paintings; and
- Walthamstow Life Drawing group exhibition at Orford House, Walthamstow, London - A long hiatus from painting as a single parent
- Pastures Youth Centre, Leyton - Ten day workshop with young people painting a mural for the centre
- Changing Room Gallery (now Winns Gallery), Lloyd Park, Walthamstow, London, ‘Any Colour as Long as it’s Green’, Friends of the Earth exhibition, painting shown
- - Stoke Newington Festival, June, with The Others venue, sculpture and paintings shown
- 'Climate of Change', Union street, SE1 curated by londonart.co.uk, sponsored by ASC Studios, mixed media photography and light installations of mine shown - - ‘Uplift and Inspire, An Adbusters Intervention’, an independent exhibition event by artists on the District and Circle Lines. ‘Metabolic’, a collaboration between myself (photograph) and Paul Ibram (poem) was included in the show. Watch a short film about it. The video quality is not great but it shows the event.
- Stoke Newington Festival with The Others venue, paintings shown - - Islington Contemporary Art and Design Fair, Candid Arts Trust, March - painting, photography and mixed media photography
- Group exhibition - The Others, Stoke Newington, October - Ickenox Group exhibition, Dray Walk Gallery, Brick Lane, London
- Independent Group Exhibition, Marble Arch, London
- The Drome Music Venue Southwark, London - paintings shown
- - Hoxton Arts Festival Group Exhibition of Painting, Photography, Prints, Sculpture, Poetry, Performance, Hoxton St, London - paintings shown; private sales of artwork
- Public Mural painting, Metropolis Leisure Centre, Hertfordshire - Solo exhibition of paintings – Blue Room Café, Soho, London W1
- Freelance artist, mural painter, picture framer, interior design collaborations, private commissions, set painting for theatre and commercials - Johannesburg, Cape Town, London
- - 'Revue Noire – South Africa, Art and Literature', Dec 1993 – Feb 1994 No.11. Two photos in this edition - pg 7 (p5 of the publication)
- ICA Gallery, Newtown, Johannesburg - 'Drawing with Light – Photography Pushes the Limit'
- Group Exhibition – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
- Freelance Photographer and Photographic Assistant - - Photographs in “Outrage” Group Exhibition - painting, photography, performance, Johannesburg
- Namibia Arts Association - Artists of Southern Africa - photographs shown - International Invitational Photography Exhibition, Benham Studio Gallery, Seattle, USA - two photographs selected for exhibition
- Thusong Community & Youth Centre, Alexandra, Johannesburg - Photography teacher
- BA Fine Art (Hons) University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Major in Photography & Printmaking
- Assistant to photographers, Shaw Studios, Brixton, Johannesburg;
- Private mural painting commissions
Paintings, drawings and photographs are held in private collections in
UK, Canada, South Africa, USA, France and Germany.
Contact
Find me here
Email
kristin.erken@gmail.com
Instagram
Website
kristinerken.com/