Karleen Gwinner
Photograph of Karleen Gwinner catching sunlight.
Why are you a member?
GC Creative Inc. is a natural home for me. It aligns perfectly with my passion for nurturing local creative ecosystems and helping artists find sustainable, meaningful ways to work through deep connections to nature and place. I believe that artists shouldn’t have to "go it alone." In our region, creatives are often tucked away in separate pockets; my goal is to bridge those gaps, building the networks and confidence needed to sustain a long-term practice.
As both a member and President, I am energised by the opportunity to amplify our collective voice. GC Creative Inc. isn't about repeating the status quo; it’s a space for curiosity, experimentation, and new ways of connecting. I am deeply motivated by the "spark" that happens when diverse minds come together, take risks, and try something bold. That spirit of collaboration and innovation is exactly why I’m here.
Tell us about your art
My art practice exists at the nexus of a socio-cultural lens. I explore the profound and often fragile intersections between human experience and the more-than-human world. At the heart of my work is the belief that our wellbeing is closely linked to the health of the Earth.
Through multi disciplinary pathways and the integration of various media, I investigate the intrinsic connections that emerges through our relationships, place, and our encounters with the natural world. We do not merely inhabit the world, we are a part of its metabolic rhythm.
I weave research, community cultural development, and arts-in-health, in my work - transcending traditional aesthetics to become site-specific, ephemeral, experiential and often activated through participatory and interactive gestures. I’m interested in how art can shift the way we see and feel, filtering our perception through layers of ritual, reminiscence, and metaphors inscribed in the landscape. For me, the simple, rhythmic act of walking is not just movement; it is a primary site for ecological witness and artistic reception.
What are you working on?
Currently, I am immersed in a long-term project at Talweg, a unique landscape in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Named for the German term meaning "water through rock”. Talweg acts as a collaborator in my practice rather than just a setting. I am creating land-based art that responds directly to the property’s gully system, where spring water flows from the ancient volcanic formations of the Macpherson Ranges. My process mirrors the action of water—slow, persistent, and transformative, shaping both the terrain and my own experience.
Increasingly, this work is grounded in "deep listening" to place, acknowledging the Kombumerri and Yugambeh Country on which I work and the ancient custodianship that sustains this land.
In tandem with my personal practice, I am curating Aqua Limina for GC Creative Inc. This exhibition features over 30 artists responding to the "liminal" or threshold spaces of water. By bringing artists together to explore our creeks and coasts, we move beyond our individual perspectives to create a shared language of care for our environment. Through this shared process of “seeing” water, the project opens up rich conversations about ecology, culture, and connection across the Southern Queensland landscape. It is a deeply collaborative and rewarding process. We are looking forward to sharing the work with the Gold Coast and South East Queensland community in March.
Connect with Karleen
