Karen Hodge graduated from Duncan of Jordonstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee and is now based in Glasgow at the Studio Warehouse www.swg3.tv, an up and coming community of artists, designers, photographers and musicians.

The body of her work is based on body image and the media and examines the power that cosmetic advertising, particularly from glossy magazines play on the insecurities of their female readers. ‘Women want to transform themselves into that beautiful image, and men want females to BE that beautiful ideal’.

Although she paints in oils, her present work has been produced using cosmetics as a medium. Formerly trained as a beauty therapist, the idea of using cosmetics as a medium became an obvious choice – she began experimenting with make-up on canvas using cotton buds and make-up sponges - making beautiful images on canvas or calico using the products advertised to make women look beautiful. Appropriated source material comes from magazines and the internet. “The cropping of images has become a major part of the process and can completely change the original reference, adding an entirely new context to the piece.”

Influences come from work by Richard Phillips, Andy Warhol, Chuck Close and Franz Gertsch, and photography by Irving Penn and Mario Testino.

Whilst based at the Studio Warehouse she became involved with the Glasgow Design Collective - a group of designers and artists given the opportunity to showcase their talent and represent the city during London Fashion Week (LFW) from September 18 - 22, 2006 under the banner of the Glasgow: Scotland with style Design Collective www.seeglasgow.com/design

Her project was to produce a 2m x 6m 'works-in-progress' using cosmetics on calico for the duration of LFW in the T Bar - a fully operating bar / cafe located within the Tea Building, Shoreditch - the venue for the Glasgow: Scotland with style Design Collective 'wrap party' on the 22 September, the last night of the London Fashion Week.

Click the video clip below to view her working on the project.

                   

Images courtesy of Wes Kingston Photography www.weskingston.com