Kara Burrowes is a Christchurch based artist known for her mixed media works and experimentation with materials. Intuitive and process-driven, Kara likes to appreciate and notice things that others might overlook or think consider mundane; and look at ways to alter, transform and reinvent.

Kara has been known to use a diverse range of materials such as wood, metal, discarded train brake pads, lace, ash, bitumen, wax, sand, glitter and embroidery thread. There is no limit to the material options and combinations that she adopts and it’s often the reactions between materials and the conversation between them that leads into future works.

Interested in the environment, in state of flux, change and diversity, Kara takes ideas in different directions as concepts are developed. The process is often intuitive, which allows for elements of surprise, while also accepting potential failure, with mistakes often leading to powerful new ideas.

Kara has a degree in Landscape Architecture from Lincoln University and a degree in Fine Arts from Canterbury University. In March 2023 she completed her Masters of Fine Arts at Ilam. Kara has been a finalist in many awards including the Wallace Art Awards in 2017 and 2018, the Parkin Drawing Prize in 2020 and the Zonta Female Art Awards in 2021 and 2022.