Your patience is appreciated as I fine-tune my new site.

You will soon be able to purchase my works here. In the meantime, smaller works and prints are available in my Etsy shop.
https://justavine.etsy.com

Art. Nature. A Bit of Whimsy.

Who or what is kayvray?

I am Karen Vradenburg. I’m proud of the name, despite a lifetime of having to spell it, or hearing it mispronounced. To alleviate both issues, I’ve chosen the nickname kayvray — kay for Karen, and vray to help with the proper pronunciation.

As I was designing my website, I encountered an additional nuisance : Vradenburg does not fit on a single line in any heading when viewed on a mobile device. *sigh*

So the answer is: I am kayvray. I create representational and abstract landscapes and waterscapes that depict my attraction to nature: plant life, earth, air, and especially water.

With its flowing nature and transformative properties, water can serve as a metaphor for renewal and rebirth. Much like the way in which water replenishes and rejuvenates, my waterscapes aim to capture the essence of renewal, offering a sense of hope and optimism.

Painting with Wax

I paint with encaustic, a natural material made from beeswax mixed with a tree resin that makes the wax harder, more stable, and shinier. The mixture is heated to a liquefied state, then painted onto a sturdy surface. Each layer is heated with a heat gun or blowtorch, to fuse it to the underlying layer.

Once fully cured, encaustic is very durable, impervious to dust and moisture, and exceptionally archival.

Although encaustic is an ancient medium, and was used by such artists as Diego Rivera and Jasper Johns, many people have never heard of it. It seems to experience waves of popularity and obscurity. There are certain areas of the world where it’s seen a resurgence; in other places it’s very rare.

My original paintings and prints present the perfect blend of art and design. From vibrant paintings and unique sculptures to fine-art prints and note cards, you’re sure to find something that is truly one of a kind.

Scroll to Top