Karen Radford is a British artist currently based in Whitstable, on the Kent coast. Born in London in 1961 to parents who were both art school graduates, Karen grew up in an atmosphere of creativity and experimentation. In the late eighties, Karen graduated from The Royal College of Art where she studied painting then, some years later, took up screen printing, producing a body of work that she exhibited in galleries and craft spaces around the UK. Following the COVID-19 pandemic Karen directed her focus on painting and drawing, producing a series of works guided by instinct and exploratory mark making.
With no starting-point, or intention, Karen lets textures and shapes develop freely, thereby fostering a sense of spontaneity and allowing for the unexpected. The process can be slow, layered and is often detailed as elements are added or removed and surfaces of familiarity and warmth gradually emerge. Karen often uses 'found materials' due to the element of human intervention which, coupled with the patina of age, provides a subtle base of textures and colours to work with. Informed by her background in printmaking, Karen is drawn to a process and enjoys combining different mediums and experimenting with a range of mark making. She draws inspiration from the textural quality of surfaces, the natural forms of deep oceans and the structural composition of plants as well as the handcrafted intricacies of early pattern making.