Karen Walters

Please enquire with the Parnell Gallery team if you are interested in purchasing a single pod.

Karen Walters’ ‘Pod’ series is as much about process as it is about form. Each set and individual ‘Pod’ is unique, sculpted from reclaimed native timber, encasing either literal rock in her ‘Rock Pods’ or ceramic forms created by Walters. Here, ‘Totara Pod’ and ‘Swamp Kauri Pod’ contain spherical ceramic forms that have been fired in Northland, in a rare Anagama kiln; a traditional Japanese wood-fired kiln that demands a dedicated team working in shifts over many hours. The intensity of the heat, combined with flying wood ash and soda, creates richly organic, unrepeatable glazes that cannot be achieved in a conventional kiln.

Encased in native timber and suspended with rope, each sculpture brings together contrasting materials in dynamic harmony, honouring the beauty and rawness of the natural world. Throughout her practice, Walters draws on both her Māori and European heritage, grounding her practice in a deep connection to the whenua and a sensitivity to the rhythms of Aotearoa’s landscape.

Treated for outdoor display, these ‘Rock Pods’ can be enjoyed individually or grouped, each offering its own balance of texture, form, and presence.

Artist Bio

Karen Walters is a contemporary sculptor based in New Zealand, drawing on her Māori and European heritage to inform her practice. Grounded in a profound connection to the whenua (land) her work is imbued with the essence and vitality of the New Zealand landscape, offering nuanced reflections on the human condition.

Utilising both bronze and native timber as her primary mediums, Walters demonstrates a meticulous approach to the detail in her work. Her selection of resilient hardwood such as Swamp Kauri for dimensional manipulation underscores her commitment to creating timeless works, while her investment in lost wax casting yields exquisitely crafted bronze pieces.

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