Karen Wicks

My artistic journey is intertwined with the silent echoes of derelict buildings—their forgotten stories, their crumbling facades, and the whispers of lives once lived within their walls. My work invites you to linger, to explore the beauty hidden in decay, and to honour the fleeting existence of forgotten places.

Inspiration: Derelict structures hold a peculiar allure for me: their presence, like lingering ghosts, invite contemplation. Through intaglio print techniques, I strive to capture this haunting essence—the weight of time, the layers of history, and the quiet intrigue that clings to abandoned spaces. Every cracked brick, every weathered beam tells a story. The mundane corners of forgotten factories, boarded-up houses, and overgrown courtyards become my muse. Their whispers guide my hand as I etch their essence onto recycled flattened boxes and discarded packaging.

Sustainable Printmaking: My commitment to sustainability shapes my process. I embrace low-fi home print techniques, using minimal resources. But it is the recycled packaging—once utilitarian, now delicate—that truly mirrors the subject matter; like these ‘ghost buildings,’ my prints evolve, disintegrate, and transform over time.

Winner of the Banks Mill Studios Award (2023)