Wild Dimensions 

Michael Kolbe and Karen Bloomfield

These two highly successful artists come together in this new exhibition at Gloucester gallery. Michael, having exhibited successfully with us previously in 2017 returns with his work extremely popular and sought after metal work sculptures.

Karen is President of the Australian Society of Marine Artists and is an exhibiting Artist with the Royal Art Society of NSW, she is regularly represented in some of Australia’s most prestigious art awards. Recently Karen has visited Gloucester to run her terrific Charcoal and Ink workshops with the Gloucester Art Society.

Michael Kolbe 

Michael was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe where he developed a strong interest in the sculptures created from scrap metal that he found there.

In March 1979 Mike, his wife Carol and their three sons immigrated to Australia, and have now settled in Old Bar on the Mid North Coast.

After revisiting Zimbabwe in 1995 Michael renewed his interest in sculptural metalwork and set up a workshop at his home from where he creates his very popular pieces. His subject matter being animals, birds, insects, reptiles all from old tools welded together, he manages to capture beautifully character and movement in every individual piece. 

Mike Kolbe also has his works represented by Gannon House Gallery in Sydney.

Karen Bloomfield

Karen completed her Diploma of Fine Art from the Newcastle Art School at the end of 2014 and now works from her Central Coast studio. She is a multi award  winning artist, with her works in International collections, with two in the Australian Consulate in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Karen’s portrait of Fr. Jim Boland, completed for the 2013 Archibald Prize, hangs on permanent display at the NSW Police HQ in Parramatta. 

Karen’s subject matter covers a broad range of interests. Working mainly in charcoal and inks for her portraits and bird pieces, she has a signature style of working on ply and incorporating the wood grain as integral to the finished piece.  Karen has many interests including an interest in architecture and paints Industrial Landscapes in oil and adopts what has been termed a ‘Reductionist Pop Art’ painting style in some of her work.

Karen currently has her works represented by Audrey Fine Art Gallery in Sydney, Aarwun Gallery in the ACT & Bay Gallery at Ettalong on the Central Coast.