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Karen Ebbs

Artist

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The following words/phrases best describe what I am curious about. 

 

Light, Colour, Perception, the Human Experience, Interconnectedness and Interaction, Consciousness, Understanding our Reality,, the Impact of Colour and its power to Transcend and Uplift, the Audacity of Hope.

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I bring together elements of my work in my large-scale installations and immersive environments .  Here I explore how everything is interconnected and how all things come into being through relationships and interactions.Painting/colour is my way of interpreting and making sense of the world around me. With applications of translucent, opaque and gestural layers of oil paint, colour gives life to the ambiguous forms that grow on canvas and as spatialised, sculptural objects. I use a variety of materials including metals, porcelain high-density foam and videography.​

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Art is often seen as having the power to transform, transcend and promote well-being.  I feel that it is essential - especially now - to aim at injecting our world with the “audacity of hope”, to uplift however and whenever one can and to offer moments of “pause”. 

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I draw from my previous experience as a facilitator/counsellor incorporating, Mindfulness, Shiatsu and talking therapy in my workshops. I observed a notable positive impact on mood and overall well-being of participants when colour through painting was introduced.  What my experiences have taught me is that life is not a linear procession moving directly towards a set goal but is rather a series of continuous spirals, a search for meaning and the numinous, a messy labyrinth of course corrections and perceptual shifts. Perceptions are, it seems, primed “best guesses” - we “see” what we expect to “see”.

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Bringing people together to exchange diverse views is a large part of my practice.  I set up a talk series - We Need To Talk About which I programmed and moderated which were held at Temple Bar Gallery & Studios in September 2024, supported by FREESPACE, studio 6 and at IMMA and the Complex Dublin in 2022.  These talks featured curators, educators, philosophers, art critics and artists and the topics included Painting, Expanded Painting and Meta-modernism. Please see my Homepage where you will find SoundCloud links to these talks and to my interview by Alan Keane of The Artis's Well.

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Studio:  Pallas Studios, 157 The Digital Hub, Thomas Street, Dublin

Contact:  www.karenebbs.com     Instagram: karen.ebbs      karenebbs@gmail.com       

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Member of Pallas Projects + Studios Collective

Professional Member of Visual Artists Ireland since 2006

Member of Artnet Dlr

Allumna of the National College of Art & Design

​Alumna of Royal Hibernain Academy

KAREN EBBS

Curriculum Vitae

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www.karenebbs.com     Instagram: @karen.ebbs      Gmail:  karenebbs@gmail.com       

Studio:  Pallas Studios, 157 The Digital Hub, Thomas Street, Dublin

 

Selected Education

 

2023        Masters in Fine Art, Painting National College of Art and Design (First Class)

2021        BA  Hons Degree, in Fine Art, Painting, (First Class)  Commended, NCAD   

2016-19   RHA  Drawing, Painting programmes, Self-Directed & Masterclasses                   

2013-15   Drawing Studio Dublin, Bargue Studies, Drawing Course

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions

 

2025      The Municipal Lexicon Gallery, upcoming solo, Open Call Award (upcoming)

2024      "Circumambulation", Rathfarnham Castle, 16 November 2024 to 12 January 2025

2023      “Apropos of Everything”, MFA Graduation Show at The Annexe, NCAD

2022      "I AM more Blue than YOU, YOU ARE more Green than ME”, Farmleigh House OPW, Cowshed Gallery  

2022      The Lab Gallery, Dublin, “Wild Accumulations”.  Curated by Sheena Barrett

2021      “Visual Perception: A Best Guess”, BFA at NCAD

2013      “Rockpools & Constellations”, In Aid of Indreni, Childrens’ Charity, Nepal. 

2005/08/09  Solo shows at Dalkey Castle Heritage Centre and The Red Stables, Clontarf

 

Selected Group Exhibitions 

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2025    "Scene & Heard", Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin

2024    “Crosscurrents”, Project at Lexicon Gallery, Claire Halpin, curator, September 2024

2024    “Duende” curated by Sean Molloy, ArtNetDLR Group Show

2024    “Pallas for Gaza”, Pallas Project +Studios, in aid of United Agency Relief 

2024    Draoicht, Shelter Collective, “The Ladder Is Always There”, Invited  artist.  

2023   “Climate and Health”, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 

2023    Art Riddler, Studio 10 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2

2023    Sculpture In Context, Botanical Gardens, invited artist

2023    Royal Hibernian Academy 193rd Annual Exhibition

2023     Boyle Arts Festival, invited by Sinead Ni Mhaonaigh, curator

2023    Transience, Art Net Dlr, Walters Dun Laoghaire

2023    Hang Tough Contemporary, Selected, Winter Print Show, Edition Print Contract

2022    National Treasury Management Agency, Dublin, “Painting as Expression” 

2022    The Lab Gallery, “New Beginnings”. Co-Curators: Sheena Barrett and Karen Ebbs

2021    Hang Tough Contemporary, Winter Print Show, and Limited Edition Print Contract

2021    “Metamorphosis” Art Net Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin,, (Juried Selection)

2021     Farmleigh House OPW, “Pluid Project”, in aid of Pieta House, Dublin. Claire Halpin       

2021     Art Net Dun Laoghaire, “Revival” 

2021     National Treasury Management  Agency, Dublin “Painting in the Pandemic”

2021     Art Net Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, “Transition", online exhibition

2021     Hambly & Hambly, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Hark Winter Show

2019     The NCAD Gallery,Trajectory,  in aid of The Rape Crisis Centre, Dublin

2019     A Quiet Space, Collaborative Well-being project, NCAD

2018     NCAD Sybil Connelly, Dublin, Liminal Space, A Process Space

2014     Pearse Museum, Dublin

2013     The Council of European Union Brussels HQ Justus Lipsius Building 

2012     London Design Festival, selected by the Crafts Council of Ireland

2009/10  Gormley’s Fine Art Gallery Group Exhibitions

 

Awards

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2025     TBGS longlisted for 'Faigh Amach' award, open call

2023     Shortlisted for the RDS Visual Arts Awards

2023     Shortlisted for Climate and Health Prize, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.  

2023     Shortlisted for the Art Riddler prize and exhibition

2023     The Municipal Lexicon Gallery solo show 2025 award - Open Call 

2022     The Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award

2022     Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co. Council Professional Development Grant Award

2022     Tyrone Guthrie Residency

2022     Clancy Quay Professional Development Award

2009/10  Cill Rialaig Residency, Co. West Kerry

 

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Public Events, Interviews and Artists Talks

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2024     Panel Artist on Seminar RHA in partnership with Bealtaine, November 2024

​2024     The Artist's Well, Interviewed by Alan Keane 5 Octtober 2024

             YouTube Link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J710Z_BC9BQ

 

2024     Talk Series: at TBGS, FREESPACE studio 6 We Need To Talk about Expanded Painting & Metamodernism, Programmed and moderated by Karen Ebbs.  Here are the SoundCloud links to these talks.​

https://soundcloud.com/karen-ebbs/we-need-to-talk-about-expanded-painting-and-metamodernism-10-september-2024​

https://soundcloud.com/karen-ebbs/we-need-to-talk-about-expanded-painting-metamodernism-17-september-2024

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2023     Artist Talk, studio visit by NCAD Studio + students and tutor Taffina Flood

 

2022     Talk Series:  At IMMA and The Complex, We Need To Talk About Painting, WNTTAP

Programmed and moderated by Karen Ebbs and co-hosted. Talks can be found on SoundCloud  

https://soundcloud.com/karen-ebbs/wnttap-complex-talk-241122

https://soundcloud.com/karen-ebbs/wnttap-complex-talk-031122  

https://soundcloud.com/karen-ebbs/wnttap-complex-talk-271022

 

2022     Artist Talk, NCAD, painting department, for second year professional practice students

2022     Artist Talk, NCAD, media department, second year professional practice students

2022     Ormond Artists Studios

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Publications and Features

 

2024     Irish Times January 7th 2024, Feature written by Gemma Tipton

2023     Visual Artists Ireland, Newsletter, Jan/Feb issue.  Commissioned by VAI, Joanne  Laws.

2023     RHA 193rd Annual Exhibition Catalogue, celebrating 200 years 

2021     Art Folio Annual 2022 Award. Publication featuring work

2019     HCE Review Award, UCD,Literary Journal. Featured in the Apr 2019 edition

2019     The Conscious Pebbles, In response to Wolfgang Tillmans' exhibition, NCAD Zine

2012     Hartwick Knapp, curator/art critic, art review, “Ebbs’ Emotional Painting”

 

Collections 

 

  • MJK Interiors, Dublin

  • Seachange Now, Brendan Foley, Director, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

  • Michael Sheil Solicitors, Blackrock, Dublin

  • Blackrock Essential Training, Dublin

  • Stelfox Recruitment, Dublin

  • Avoca Clinic, Co. Wicklow

  • OPW acquired for Tullamore Courthouse and Cobb Social Welfare Office

  • Turning Point, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

  • Book Cover Painting Design, “Peacemonger”, Author, Paddy McMahon (deceased)

 

Memberships

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Member of Pallas Projects & Studios Collective

Alumna of the National College of Art & Design

Alumna of the Royal Hibernian Academy School

Visual Artists Ireland, Professional Membership 

Art Net Dun Laoghaire, Professional Membership

 

Welcome to my site and thank you for visiting. My site-specific projects can be seen in my portfolios which show the work as it was displayed.  My work is available for sale as individual artworks.  Please contact me by email for more information. Thank you!

© 2025 by Karen Ebbs

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