Ingrid Katarina Karlsson is a mixed media artist widely known for her narrative style inspired by experiences, places and journeys. Her roots in Northern Sweden can be traced in her work, but based in Derbyshire for some 20 years now the ever-changing colours and landscapes of the Peak District keep providing ideas for subject matter.

Ingrid’s work approach creates rich, colourful textures developed through mono-printing, overlaying, and stitching on her beloved old Husqvarna sewing machine. One favourite medium, crystalline water colour, enhances the work with a luminous quality, whilst allowing storytelling through the insertion of words.

Memorable achievements include featuring on BBC’s Country File as a narrative artist resident in the Peak District; being the Buxton Festival cover artist; and exhibiting in her home town, Umeå, for the European Capital of Culture year.

Habitat

Birds have featured in Ingrid’s work for years, but more recently this interest has taken on a deeper focus looking at the plight of endangered species both in Scandinavia and here in the Peak District. During the pandemic, research into the effects of climate change in the circumpolar north led to a triptych featuring the most acutely threatened birds in the Scandinavian Arctic, the Snowy Owl, the Lesser White-fronted Goose, and the Gyrfalcon.

From there more work has developed around wildlife in Derbyshire, highlighting birds, mammals, plants and butterflies, collected in an ongoing series on the theme of Habitat. Many of our precious species are now in decline often due to loss and degradation of natural habitats caused by human use of land and water, environmental and climate change.

As an artist Ingrid is passionate about telling a story and carrying a message in her work. We are now at a stage where the decline in biodiversity is of great concern, so here is a great source of subject matter where the medium of art can lend its voice. #avoicethroughart