Karlee Rene
I am an illustrator exploring the dialogic relationship between words and images. My artwork draws on literature, history, and folklore to create storied images that engage themes of grief, longing, and embodiment. I find the culture, landscape, and stories of Scotland very inspiring to my work. I put down roots here after completing a masters in Theology and the Arts at the University of St Andrews. I continued exploring the intersection of illustration and spirituality as the Artist-in-Residence for the university’s Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts. Since then, I’ve continued to develop creatively in the vibrant artistic community of Fife, participating in several exhibitions both locally and further afield.​
Hiraeth
Hiraeth (pronounced heer-ithe) is a Welsh word with no direct equivalent in English. It refers to the soul’s deep longing for a lost home. It is a bittersweet ache in which grief and joy dance with one another and absence is its own kind of presence. I chose this word to represent my illustration practice because I believe that the experience of longing is a beautiful and important part of being human.