Karen Hendy is an artist based in Kerry. Painting, Installations, mixed media and unorthodox materials form the basis of her practice. Hendy draws on her experience of living within a rural community to explore her ideas of changes within the natural environment. Having experienced the burning of the land, ploughing, tilling and sewing as part of the yearly ritual of renewal, she deliberately introduces these physical processes in her work. Hendy uses these as rituals to enter into a visual narrative reflecting current states of impermanence in society, policies and environmental matters. She applies the concept of polymaterialism - the ability of a single work to contain a multitude of materials – in a metaphorical and purposeful manner in order to push the limitations of a flat painting into the third dimension.
Hendy is a graduate of the National College of Art and Design and has also studied at the Burren College of Art, she has been exhibiting since 2010. Exhibitions include Skibbereen Arts Festival (solo) 2019, Boyle Arts Festival 2017, National Folk Theatre, Tralee 2017, VUE Royal Hibernian Academy 2016, Royal Ulster Academy 2016, Ballinglen Arts Festival 2015 (solo), Skibbereen Arts Festival 2016 (two person), Catherine Hammond Gallery 2016, Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre 2015, Dunamaise Arts Centre 2013 (solo), Stone gallery Dublin 2010, Berlin 2010, EVA International 2010.
She is receipient of numerous awards and bursaries such as Arts Council of Ireland 2019, Siamsa Tíre Artist in Residency Award 2017, Tyrone Guthrie Cork County Council 2017, Kerry County Council 2017, Kildare County Council 2015, Laois County Council 2013, Ballinglen Fellowship 2012, Artist in Residence Laois County Council 2013.
Hendy has also been involved in projects in the public domain, a joint project of a stage design for Siamsa Tíre 2022/19, Amergin solstice poetry festival Waterville 2018/2019, she has also been involved on the illustrations and wood engravings for a poetry book by Paddy Bushe and the six poet laureates of Ireland, a joint project of 12m x 2m Steel structure using Corten Steel and Light for Camden, London; engraving patterns for the replica of the Bangor Bell 2015 UK, Shankill Public Sculpture Community Project 2015 UK, Honeycomb recycling project for Electric Picnic Music Festival 2013.
Since her inaugural residency with Siamsa Tire in 2017, Karen is currently working on a new stage design for 'An Ghaoith Aniar' (The Wind from the West) with The National Folk Theatre of Ireland for the new production which takes place from July 2019 to the end of August 2019.
Public Art Collection
2024 Ferguson Logue Solicitors Belfast
2019 Siamsa TIre, National Folk Theatre of Ireland
2016 The Angela Flowers Collection, London
2015 Laois County Council Art Collection
2010 OPW, Tullamore, County Offaly
2012 Ballinglen Arts Foundation, County Mayo
2012 House of the Oireachtas, Dublin.
2010 Carlow Institute of Technology, County Carlow
2007 KPMG, Belfast
Work in private collections in Germany, Ireland, UK, Italy and USA.