Karen Shewan  -  Visual Artist

I was born near Manchester where I studied, then worked for over 30 years in the NHS, first as a dietitian and then as a senior manager. In 2010 I moved to Edinburgh to work for the Scottish Government. In 2012 I took early retirement to pursue my love of art. Since then I've studied art part time at the University of Edinburgh and completed the Certificate of Higher Education in Art & Design. I have also completed a variety of courses at Edinburgh Printmakers and Highland Print Studio. My practice now includes mixed media drawing and painting, collage, printing, ecoprinting, photography, artist bookmaking and land art.

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I spend part of the year in Edinburgh and part in the Highlands; the inspiration for my work comes mainly from walking both the historic city streets and the magnificent Highland hills. I enjoy exploring a variety of different media and techniques, and try to express a sense of how I feel about a place, rather than its true representation. In both natural and urban environments I'm drawn to the nooks and crannies, the lesser known and hidden places, and areas of decay and dereliction. My art is a response to a landscape or place, both its historical and geological past, and its present state. Archives, historical material, images, plants, and rocks all inform my practice. Past memories, and real or imagined layers within spaces, fascinate me. My garden in Easter Ross is a special inspiration; there I grow plants for dyes and ecoprinting. Observing and handling the plant material is a meditative process which connects me with nature.

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Land art involves making earth mandalas from found natural materials. I've worked with a friend, Therese Muskus of Laikenbuie, and my husband Mel, to create mandalas in a variety of places. You can see photos of these on the website.

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Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy looking at my work. If you are interested in buying any pieces please contact me.

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