Karen M. Gutfreund Art - OCEAN DREAMS SERIES

KAREN M. GUTFREUND

ARTIST STATEMENT

Historically, my artistic practice has centered on activist and feminist text-based works. Yet in response to the current state of the world, I've felt compelled to shift to create pieces that celebrate the beauty and light that still surrounds us and offer a form of transcendence. Drawing from lived experiences, emotional currents, and life's inherent complexity, I rely on intuition and the evocative power of color to cultivate serenity, nostalgia, longing, and connection.

With my OceanDreamsseries, I delve into the space between perception and reality, working instinctively with layered inks embedded in resin. This process builds richness, depth, mystery and fluid movement its unpredictability allowing for continuous discovery. As a scuba diver and having frequent recurring dreams where I breathe underwater, these reflect my fantasy dreamworld and connection to the spirit world.

Each piece unfolds like a vision: translucent layers of ink suspended in resin beckon viewers into moments of reflection and quiet contemplation. With subtle to dramatic hues and shifting transparencies, I blur the boundary between the tangible and the imagined. These works are portals delicate yet intricate, serene yet never still evoking inner landscapes and fluid dream states in which to drift.

UndertheSeawithMe(fromtheOceanDreamsSeries) Resin, ink, acrylic, and wax on wood panel, 6 x 6 inches, 2025