Through the Looking Glass

Working in soft pastel, Karen Gourley presents beautifully observed studies of birds, owls, and other creatures. Rich in detail and atmosphere, her works are grounded in close observation of the natural world, inviting viewers into moments of stillness, presence, and quiet connection.

Isabelle Wannenburg presents works from the Inner Cartographies series together with a selection of abstract water paintings. Large in scale and conceptual in nature, these works explore perception, consciousness, and unseen structures through layered forms, gesture, texture, and colour — reflecting on the relationship between visible reality and the subtler fields that shape human experience.

Together, the exhibition brings two distinct visual languages into dialogue — one rooted in observation and the natural world, the other in abstraction, perception, and the unseen structures that shape experience.

All artworks will be for sale.

Artists' Biographies

Isabelle Wannenburg is a Christchurch-based contemporary artist whose practice spans abstraction and landscape. Her recent work moves increasingly beyond representation, exploring colour, gesture, texture, and states of consciousness as emotional and spatial experiences. Trained in Arts and Design in Paris, she approaches painting in an instinctive, immersive way, creating works that explore perception, movement, and emotional space.

Karen, a pastel artist based in New Zealand, finds inspiration in the quiet, intimate moments of nature. Originally from Northern Ireland, Karen’s deep connection to wildlife is reflected in her intricate paintings of birds, insects, and smaller creatures. Her work celebrates the beauty in delicate details, capturing fleeting moments like the gentle flutter of a butterfly’s wings or the industriousness of a bird at its nest.
Karen’s medium of choice, soft pastels, allows her to mirror the velvety textures and subtle hues of her subjects. Working directly with her hands, she creates art that feels as personal and intimate as the natural encounters that inspire her.
Through her creations, Karen invites viewers to pause, reconnect with nature, and rediscover the simple joys of the world around them. Each piece is a reminder of the peace and wonder that lie in the overlooked details of life.