Karin Cutler

I have an emotional and passionate relationship with every artwork I create hence, in essence, they are all glimpses of my life. I view my paintings as meditations, thoughts, moments in time.

I aim to create interest and balance on the canvas, using energy while at the same time creating a sense of calm. I paint from memory, drawing on my inspiration and emotion; being lost in the moment is a necessary part of my process. It’s about letting go, listening to my intuition, experimenting, playing, feeling, later analyzing and responding to what is in front of me. As the painting evolves, often only a hint of the early layers are left but enough to help shape the final layer, adding character, depth and curiosity. For me my painting is finished when I find myself gazing at it with interest and calm.

In addition to brushes, I like to experiment with anything that makes an interesting mark, such as sticks and feathers, and I love to use my hands, connecting directly with the canvas. My colour palette is strongly influenced by my Scandinavian background: charcoal, black, raw umber, grey and white often feature.

My paintings have become more abstract over time. I do, however, continue to enjoy painting some still lives but always aiming to express the essence rather than the actual.