Karen Hoisington, artist

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Karen Hoisington, the daughter of Singapore pioneer artist Vincent Hoisington (1924–1972), began painting at a very young age, selling her first work at age 10. She studied fine art at the University of the Creative Arts (formally Epsom School of Art) and graphic design at Kingston University in the United Kingdom. A well-known pop and abstract artist in the 1980s, Hoisington has taken part in a dozen group and solo art exhibitions in Singapore and the Middle East. Her paintings are collected by corporations and individuals, both in Singapore and abroad. Hoisington-Seow makes her comeback with a new moniker after a 33-year hiatus to offer a diversified collection. As a multi-hyphenate award-winning art director, designer, branding specialist, educator, historian, and author, she utilises a kaleidoscopic approach, combining inspirations from design, architecture, theatre, music, film, food, fashion, and her Singapore heritage to appeal to all audiences. 

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Hoisington’s painterly subject matter is influenced by her contemporary view of landscapes. Today, she finds herself facing a natural environment that needs protection. She says:

 

For artists in the past, the landscapes of Singapore were something pretty to record, almost like postcards. But today, our landscapes are something to be protected—a world of dense urban spaces, protected areas, and nature reserves. I like to paint landscapes as entirely different from those of the past and present them as visual advocacy for a thinking and emphatic audience.

 

The result extols the symbiotic relationship between nature and man, which at times is turbulent, even worrying, yet majestic and magical, generating feelings of admiration and reflection.

 

Hoisington's paintings show nature’s sublime character in the sense that its biodiversity transcends human beings with its variety and the potential ecological power that makes it up. That said, the painter emphasises her personal viewpoint represented by her works: for her, painting is about introspection that encourages her viewers to develop their inner voice and discover things they never saw before.