Karen Ebbs
Artist
www.karenebbs.com Instagram: karen.ebbs karenebbs@gmail.com
Studio: Pallas Studios, 157 The Digital Hub, Thomas Street, Dublin
I have an unfaltering curiosity concerning the nature of our existence, the act of becoming and the experience of being human while attempting to navigate the world and its many complexities. My deep probing and search for meaning stem not so much from an existential-crisis position, but rather from a pure fascination and awe that we exist at all.
Painting is central to my process-led practice which is positioned in the affective domain of experience, utilising a variety of materials including oil paint, metal, porcelain and mirrors. I make large-scale installations and immersive environments exploring how everything is interconnected and how all things come into being through relationships and interactions.
My work begins with colour - with applications of translucent, opaque and gestural layers of oil paint - and colour gives life to the forms that grow on canvas, as three-dimensional sculptural elements and as written texts. In my previous work with adults and children, I observed how the use of colour had positively impacted the well-being of individuals.
A core area of my research is focused on consciousness, how it is fundamental to all that exists and on the complex nature of how perception occurs. Science tells us that perception is in fact, a “best guess”. We are primed to see the world as we do, primed that is, by our accumulated life experiences, by our psychological, cultural, educational and societal conditioning and by our conscious and unconscious biases. We “see” what we expect to “see”.
Seeking aesthetic, emotional and neurological understanding, my practice moves across deep research trenches of thinking, from current scientific developments to philosophy. The writing and thinking of Bernardo Kastrup, Donald Hoffmann, Carlo Rovelli, David Chalmers, Melvin Sheldrake and Eckhart Tolle inform my work.
Elective affinities exist with mid 20th century, North American painting, in particular Abstract Expressionism and there are visual language and spatial parallels with contemporary painters/installation artists, such as, Jessica Stockholder, Sarah Sze, Laura Owens, Mary Heilmann, Tomma Abts, Ciara Phillips, Juan Uslé and Katharina Grosse.
KAREN EBBS
Artist
www.karenebbs.com Instagram: karen.ebbs 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 Honours)
2021 BA Degree, in Fine Art, Painting, (First Class Honours) Highly Commended, NCAD
2016-19 RHA Mentored, Drawing and Painting programmes, Self-Directed and Masterclasses
2013-15 Drawing Studio Dublin, Bargue Studies, Drawing Course
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025 The Municipal Lexicon Gallery, upcoming solo, Open Call Award, upcoming solo
2024 Rathfarnham Castle, upcoming solo
2022 Farmleigh House OPW, Cowshed Gallery, I AM more Blue than YOU,
YOU ARE more Green than ME.
2022 The Lab Gallery, Dublin, Wild Accumulations. Curated by Sheena Barrett
2013 Rockpools & Constellations, In Aid of Indreni, Childrens’ Charity, Nepal.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 Draoicht, Shelter Collective, “The Ladder Is Always There”, Invited artist. Dec 2023 - Feb 2024
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 The Boyle Arts Festival, invited by Sinead Ni Mhaonaigh, curator
2023 Transience, Art Net Dlr, Walters Dun Laoghaire
2023 MFA NCAD Graduation Show at The Annexe, St. James’ St. June 2023
2023 Hang Tough Contemporary, Selected, Winter Print Show and Limited Edition Print Contract
2022 National Treasury Management Agency, Dublin, Painting as ExpressionofHumanity,
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 Art Net Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Metamorphosis, (Juried Selection)
2021 Farmleigh House OPW, Pluid Project, in aid of Pieta House, Dublin. Curator: Claire Halpin
2021 Art Net Dun Laoghaire, Revival,
2021 National Treasury Management Agency, Dublin ,Positives: 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
Awards
2023 Shortlisted for Climate and Health Prize, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
2023 Shortlisted for the RDS Visual Arts Awards
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
Public Events and Artists Talks
2022 Talk Series: At IMMA and The Complex, We Need To Talk About Painting, WNTTAP
Initiated, organised and co-hosted by Karen Ebbs 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
2023 Artist Talk, studio visit by NCAD Studio + students and Tutor Taffeta Flood
2022 Artist Talk, NCAD, painting department, second year professional practice
2022 Artist Talk, NCAD, media department, second year professional practice
2022 Ormond Artists Studios
Publications
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
Collections
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MJK Interiors, Dublin.
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Seachange Now, Brendan Foley, Director, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
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Michael Sheil Solicitors, Blackrock, Dublin
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Blackrock Essential Training, Dublin
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Stelfox Recruitment, Dublin
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Avoca Clinic, Co. Wicklow
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Turning Point, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
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Book Cover Painting Design, Peacemonger, Author, Paddy McMahon (deceased)
Memberships
Alumni of the National College of Art & Design
Alumni of the Royal Hibernian Academy School
Visual Artists Ireland, Professional Membership
Art Net Dun Laoghaire, Professional Membership