ABOUT KAREN STANDER

I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and trained as a social worker at the University of Stellenbosch after school. In 2018, my husband accepted an opportunity to work in the UAE, and I saw it as the ideal opportunity to follow a long-time dream to study Fine Arts. I enrolled with OCA, University for the Creative Arts, in London, which offered a flexible online study option. I have been working, living and studying on Langvlei farm in the Riebeeck Valley since April 2021, when we relocated back from Dubai. 

I am currently at the final level and busy arranging an exhibition showcasing my final body of work at the end of the last week of October 2024.  This will happen at our home on the farm, Langvlei, Riebeek West, South Africa.

I believe art can transform human behaviour. Through my daily practice of walking and reflecting, I strive to open up a conversation with my audience about interconnectivity with nature and living/non-living. I am attracted to nature and culture and love wild camping in Southern Africa. Drawing is very much part of my daily practice, and I believe there is always wonder/awe when looking at the visual world, which is where I find myself working.