::the artist

Karen Zilly is self-taught and makes her living as an artist in New York City. Her work draws from nature, literature, photojournalism, Asian and Eastern culture, a difficult past, and now the ability to participate in the world as a traveler...distilling sights, sensations and ideas into minimal yet dynamic compositions that echo years past as a graphic designer. She is the founder of The ReBirthProject.org, the first online resource of artwork created specifically for donation to women's shelters and the homes of those women starting anew. In addition, she has helped fund humanitarian endeavors abroad such as women's surgeries in Africa, and personally participated in the post-tsunami rebuidling in Thailand.

Awareness of her work has been growing through print and web magazines; and she continues to gain recognition in the art community through private buyers, interior designers, and custom site-specific work. Some of her notable projects include custom work for Blesso Properties, Dwell's Harlem House, and a contribution to a bedroom makeover by Thom Filicia for InStyle.

This body of work is a significant departure from the Pop Art style for which she was previously known in Chicago galleries. She currently strives to bring a deeper sensitivity to these modern-style portraits, and demonstrates a greater self-actualization in her portrayal of Buddhist, organic, and ambient images.

It is her aim to explore themes that facilitate healing and generate discussions about 'what comes after trauma'. Can peaceful works have an edge in that they confront issues of vulnerability? Perhaps it is that visual balance between struggle and relief that resonates an internal rhythm and promotes self-acceptance.

All images ©K.Zilly/Shenspace