Isabelle Wannenburg-Art IW-Art

09/06/2026

Come see it in person! Arts Centre, Christchurch

Hes not finished yet, but he made it to the exhibition anyway.

The eagle owl I've been working on is in Through the Looking Glass at Pūmanawa Gallery, and you can follow along as he comes together.

If you're in Christchurch you can see him in person until 14th June.

Pūmanawa Gallery, Christchurch Arts Centre, Christchurch 9-14 June

08/06/2026

Through the Looking Glass
The Arts Centre, Christchurch
On this week, 9-14 June 2026

03/06/2026

We make completely different work. And that's exactly the point.

Isabelle Wannenburg paints from the inside out. Her abstracts are expressive, layered, emotional - inner landscapes that you feel before you understand them.

I paint from the outside in. I start with a feather, an eye, a wing, and work toward the feeling hidden inside the detail.

Neither of us is trying to show you what the world looks like. We're both trying to show you what it feels like.

That's what Through the Looking Glass is really about.

📍 Pūmanawa Gallery, Christchurch Arts Centre
🗓 9–14 June | 10am–4pm daily | Free entry

Isabelle Wannenburg-Art IW-Art

03/06/2026

Sometimes a message arrives and stops you completely.

Janice left this comment on my page a few weeks ago. I've been sitting with it ever since, and I wanted to share it because I think it speaks to something at the heart of why I make this work.

I paint wildlife because I'm captivated by the details. The depth in a ruru's eye. The texture of a single feather. The stillness of a creature that holds its ground while the world rushes past.

But what I've learned from the people who bring these pieces into their homes is that those details carry so much more. Memory, love, and the people we've lost.

The ruru is now sold out (both the print and the original) but new work will be on show next week.

I'm exhibiting at the Christchurch Arts Centre from Tuesday 9 June as part of a joint show with abstract artist Isabelle Wannenburg - Through the Looking Glass.

Free entry, open daily 10am–4pm through to Saturday 14 June.

If you're in Christchurch, I'd love to see you there. 🦉

📍 Pūmanawa Gallery, 28 Worcester Boulevard
🗓 9–14 June | 10am–4pm | Free entry
www.karengourley.com

03/06/2026

Last Light

A new work from the water series.

This painting will be on view next week in *Through the Looking Glass* at The Arts Centre, Christchurch.

Acrylic, oil and ink on canvas.

19/05/2026

Oxymoron
From the series *Inner Cartographies*

A work exploring organised complexity — where opposing forces, structures, and movements coexist within the same field.

*Inner Cartographies traces the structures and paths we move within.*

Acrylic, oil, and ink on canvas 30x30 inches

14/05/2026

Proud to have two works included in this year’s Hōhepa Art & Sculpture Exhibition in Christchurch later this month, supporting Hōhepa Canterbury and the important work they do with adults living with intellectual disabilities.

The biennial exhibition brings together established and emerging New Zealand artists from across the country.

More information and opening night tickets at www.hohepaart.com