Karen Blandford

Through her upbringing in rural and remote areas of Australia, Karen has a deep sense of connection with the land. Karen was born 1968 in Bendigo, Victoria.

Her love of drawing developed from an early age along with a fascination for surrealist imagery by Escher and Heironymous Bosch. A family move to Western Australia in 1981 saw Karen spending her teen years in the remote northwest whereby the vastness of the Pilbara landscape compelled her to paint. In 1993, Karen graduated with a Diploma of Arts (Art & Design) from WA School of Art, Design & Media. In the subsequent years, she freelanced as a graphic designer and illustrator. Through invitation, Karen has taught at both private and government tertiary institutions on a casual basis in Art & Design.


EXHIBITIONS
2008 Solo Exhibition Urban Dingo Gallery, Fremantle W Australia
2007 October Focus Artopia 2007 event Gunyulgup Galleries, Yallingup W Australia
2007 A Vivid Recollection (solo) Burswood Entertainment Complex, Perth W Australia
2007 Milieu (solo) LK Galleries, Subiaco W Australia
2006 Artists In Arms youth in crisis fundraiser vacant site - Mt Lawley W Australia
2006 365 Days Soto Cafe, Mt Lawley W Australia
2005 Family of Artists Fremantle Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle W Australia
2001 Bang Maverick Gallery & Artist Studios, Jolimont W Australia
2001 Colours of April The Moores Building, Fremantle W Australia
1999 Campaign Free The Bears Mary Hutton fundraiser, Kings Park, Perth W Australia
1999 Off Shore Europe '99 trade exh. spons'd by Dept Commerce & Trade Montrose/Aberdeen Scotland UK
1999 Arts for the Old Growth Forests fundraiser Fremantle Arts Centre, W Australia
1999 Autumn Collection Burswood Int. Resort, Perth W Australia
1999 The Perth Mint Centenary Art Prize (Finalist) The Perth Mint, W Australia
1998 Choice (two person exhibition) Left Bank, Fremantle W Australia
1998 Arts Expose '98 Fremantle, W Australia
1998 Burswood $10,000 Art Award (Acquisitive Award) Burswood Int. Resort, Perth W Australia
1997 WA Arts Burswood Int' Resort Hotel, Perth W Australia
1996 The Christmas Show Gadfly Gallery, Nedlands WA
1995 Women Artists In WA Acorns Gallery, Inglewood W Australia
1995 Different Newcomers Gallery, Fremantle W Australia
1995 Arts Expose '95 (Dept Commerce & Trade Award for Excellence) Fremantle, W Australia

AWARDS
1999 Perth Mint Centenary Art Prize - Finalist
1998 The Burswood $10,000 [National] Art Award - Acquisitive/ 1st prize
1995 Department of Commerce & Trade, Perth WA - Awards for Excellence
1993 Mazda Australia National student competition - Illustration Award

COMMISSIONS
2008 Edgecombe Brothers, Swan Valley - wine label, original artwork feature for Ltd Ed Muscadel
2007 Ellement 996, Perth WA - primary reproduction of original paintings to furnish apartments and foyer interiors
1999 Exchange Plaza, Perth WA - original paintings (x2) for foyer's apex areas
1996 Duxton Hotel, Perth WA - series of screenprints to compliment Hotel's interior styles and colour themes

PRESS/MEDIA
2007 Aug 19 Channel Nine 'Postcards' (WA) Episode 21 feat 'Milieu' solo @ LK Galleries
2007 June 5 Western Suburbs Weekly (Perth WA) Jazzing Up Colour
2006 May 25 WA Business News AIA out to debunk art myths
2001 May 30 Perth Weekly (WA) vol 4/ issue 19 Mav Factor
2001 May Australian House & Garden artwork feat
1999 Sept 23 Montrose Review (Scotland UK) Australian Artist Keen to Return to Montrose
1998 Mar 14 The Bendigo Advertiser (Victoria) Success A Work of Art
1998 Feb 23 The West Australian (WA) Perth Artist Hits Jackpot

QUOTE
"... Works I produce are the end result of working in conjunction with other pieces on a rotation basis. At any given time there are at least twenty pieces being created with some put aside for indefinite periods whilst others are completed immediately. This process allows for the work to evolve in different directions making for interesting discoveries and accidental happenings along the way." May 2007


To find out more about Karen Blandford visit her website at www.karenblandford.com