Karrie Arthurs

Karrie Arthurs is a multidisciplinary Canadian artist whose work bridges fine art and tattoo culture through exceptional draftsmanship and narrative depth. She received her BFA with distinction from the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly ACAD) in 2000 and has been represented by Christine Klassen Gallery since 2012.

Arthurs’ work is defined by a certainty of hand honed through years of tattooing, bringing a rare precision and confidence to her drawing practice. Drawing from the richly decorative iconography of tattoo culture, her free-hand ink works tell new fables through anthropomorphism and fantasia. These meticulously rendered images unfold as intimate narratives, each steeped in mystery and symbolism, with every work offering a distinct story.

Her drawings are created on carefully sourced antique papers, certificates, envelopes, and archival documents, many over a century old. This choice of material imbues the work with a palpable sense of history and impermanence, lending each one-of-a-kind piece a layered relationship to time, memory, and identity.

Arthurs has exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions across Canada and internationally. Her work is held in private and corporate collections worldwide, as well as public collections including the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

In addition to her studio practice, Arthurs has been a practicing tattoo artist since 2001, a parallel discipline that continues to inform her visual language and exacting line work. Her work resonates strongly with collectors for its fusion of technical mastery, storytelling, and the quiet intimacy of hand-drawn mark-making.