Featuring a series of portraits brilliantly-realised in dazzling and vivid colours, the latest exhibition at the Isle Contemporary Gallery at Tynwald Mills is guaranteed to make you smile.

’Kaleidoscope’, featuring the work of the emerging, young Polish painter Karolina Pawlowska, 25, opened at the gallery last weekend.

It consists of a series of collections of large scale, bright animal pictures, dream-like nightscapes, portraits and personal digital art pieces.

What all the images have in common is Karolina’s joyous and highly-expressive use of colours and, what she calls, ’splatters’, which makes the exhibition an enjoyable and engaging experience.

My paintings are really all about colours,’ said Karolina

’This exhibition is a very expressive piece of work.

I just love being colourful and experimenting with different colours.

’I like to express myself somehow, and this is the way I choose to do it. It comes straight from my heart, and all the emotions that I have.

’I am quite shy normally, and I think painting like this has become how I like to express myself.’

Karolina said that she has been inspired to create her eye-catching creations ever since she moved to the Isle of Man.

’I grew up in Warsaw, a big city environment, which always frustrated me,’ she said.

’It was mainly because of the constant rush of the rat-race, and the environment of the city wasn’t all that great for me.

’I have painted ever since I was a child, but I would paint from anger. All of my artwork from then was all mad, angry, or just really sad.

’Living here, I don’t feel that.

’From my first time on the island, I just felt really peaceful, and I found it calmed me a lot.

’I am happy here, and I want to make others happy with my paintings.

’I feel that everything is happy, and I am happy. My pictures are like that too.’

Although this is her first solo exhibition, Karolina has been displaying her artwork around the island for more than three years.

She has been a part of the Isle of Man Arts Festival since 2017, and this year turned one of the old cells in the former Castletown police station into a personal gallery.

Her distinctive artwork has won her many fans, both on and off the island, and has seen her become a popular figure in the local art scene.

’At first, I didn’t want to push it too much, so I took things a bit slowly,’ she said.

’But I have met some amazing people since the time I have been here, and have found many opportunities, which have led me here.’

’Kaleidoscope’ is open until Sunday, July 7.

by Mike Wade

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