Karen Jewell-Kett’s paintings are about time, nature, and the immediacy of the moment. She aims to capture the feeling and atmosphere of a point in time—the sharp taste of lemonade on a hot summer day, the heat of the sun under a blue, cloudless sky, or the cool promise of a moonrise in spring. To connect with this sense of nowness and physicality, she uses tactile, layered surfaces and thick pigment to engage the senses and remind us of our connection to the real world.

In her abstract work, Karen explores things not usually expressed in pictures—emotions, sensations, and sounds, beyond what things look like. What lies beyond the visual surface? She believes an honest and curious exploration of life begins with questions, not answers.

Answers close the doorway of possibility and suggest there is nothing more to discover. Questions, on the other hand, compel and engage the human spirit. Karen begins each piece with a question and continues through a process of open-ended exploration, allowing the paint and surface to reveal both intentional and unexpected results. By working around an idea, remaining open to possibility, and unearthing new aspects, she polishes each work to bring out its innate luster. This unfolding journey leads her to places far more interesting than anything she could have planned in advance.