karen van de vliet

More about the artist

Karen van de Vliet’s artistic practice is centred around the beauty of imperfection. She draws inspiration from unintentional shapes and traces, the worn textures of pavements, weathered surfaces, or the cracks that emerge over time. These visual cues become the foundation for her abstract compositions, in which colour, rhythm and material come together.

In recent years, Karen has deepened her focus on the materiality of painting. Her works have become increasingly sculptural, with thick layers of paint building up across the surface, sometimes even extending beyond the edges of the canvas or frame. This tactile quality adds a new dimension to her practice, making the physical presence of each painting stronger and more immersive.

Water remains an important reference in her work, not only in its visual qualities, but also in its unpredictable nature. Just like flowing water, her process is fluid and intuitive, shaped by movement, time, and transformation. By combining different pigments and techniques, she explores the interplay between deliberate gesture and unconscious mark-making.

Her recent series, Bubblegum, marks a bold and playful chapter in her practice. Dominated by vivid shades of pink, these works feature sculptural layers of paint applied directly by hand or tool, allowing the material to shape itself. The rounded forms and glossy textures evoke not only joy and immediacy, but also a sense of nostalgia, memories of sweetness, lightness, and carefree moments. With this series, Karen translates fleeting impressions into tactile, emotionally charged artworks that invite both a smile and a moment of reflection.

Karen’s paintings are available in a variety of sizes and are ready to hang. Collectors are drawn to her ability to translate atmosphere and emotion into material form, creating artworks that are both visually striking and emotionally resonant.