Karen Howse- a new printmaker joining the Gallery

We have work from some excellent printmakers in the Gallery and we are delighted to welcome Karen Howse. Based in North Cornwall, she calls herself an "artist-wanderer practicing walking, drawing and printmaking". She is interested in noticing the patterns that connect our minds with our local wild, drawing people together through place-based projects. She has a BA in Textiles from Winchester School of Art and an MA in Fine Art, from Falmouth University.

Karen has been an artist in residence at the poet Charles Causley’s home and Dunsland an intriguing National Trust Parkland. The National Trust acquired Dunsland house, in North Devon, in 1954, and set about restoring it over thirteen years. In November 1967 just three days before Dunsland was about to open to the public, the house sadly burnt to the ground. The parkland, woods and garden walls have largely been left to flourish, erode and decay. Surrounded by forest, Dunsland has the feel of a fairytale. The seven pieces that we have are from Karen's Dunsland Collection.

Held in the Arms of the Park - Framed Monoprint (59.5 x 42 cms)

In the 5 years that Karen has been a guest artist at Dunsland for 5 years, she has visited often and has formed a strong bond with the trees and the landscape. This is evident in her work.

Resting with cattle - Framed drypoint monoprint (27 x 22 cms)

Circled by trees - Framed drypoint monoprint (27 x 22 cms)

Grass House - Framed Monoprint collograph (38 x 29 cms)

Karen says " Visiting Dunsland has become a pilgrimage. I find myself taking a particular route to visit certain spots – the bracket fungus tree with the hornet’s nest, the steps that would have led from the house, the tangle of the rhododendron forest, the apple orchard, ending up at the 3 ancient Sweet Chestnuts. I love how the trees are embedded in the landscape, holding on, gripping the ground with their paw-like root trunks; reaching upwards and feeling downwards at the same time. They are sky and earth connectors."

Dunsland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for lichens with several European rare lichens thriving in its particular environment. Karen has researched the lichen at Dunsland and it has become an important aspect of her work .

A House for Lichen - Framed drypoint monoprint (46 x 34 cms)

Lichen tree, tree lichen - Framed monoprint (40 x 32 cms)

Lichen 1 - Framed drypoint monoprint (22 x 16 cms)

This collection is mostly a story of Karen's relationship with this special and unique place and an open ended experiment in how drawing in a place can bring us closer.