Using imagery of moths and other insects, Karen Gray seeks to express life's beauty and essential fragility within her work. Gray's skillfully rendered oils go beyond entomological examinations. She locates these creatures in a space which transcends that of the conventional still-life, in her attempts to reveal her subject's metaphorical meanings.

Ideas of growth, metamorphosis, death and finally decay are evident in Gray's meditative depictions of insects. These cyclical events affect all living things - from the smallest creatures to human beings. By placing the humble moth central to her imagery, Gray hints at some of the universal aspects of existence, and the unavoidable finality contained therein.

The concept of collecting and encasing insect specimens derives from Victorian times and informs Gray's practice. She conducts this research to create accurate representations of the moths that populate her paintings, studying their textural and anatomical features. Yet Gray's work has none of the clinical coldness that this could suggest. Painted with many rich, glowing glazes, Gray depicts the atmospheric affects of light and cloud as the context for her subjects.

Gray uses chromatic warmth and subtle tonal shifts to imbue her work with hazy, dreamlike quality which, while beautiful, contains an element of darkness. This is more tangibly realised in the torn wings that often appear, highlighting processes of decay and disintegration. The textural qualities of diaphanous wings juxtaposed with furry bodies are emphasised through her tactile application of paint. However it is the essence of these frail yet resilient creatures which remain central to the microcosms examined that, while not as easily seen, are as rich and abiding as our own.

Text by Marguerite Brown
May, 2006