My paintings explore the emotional and psychological layers of being human. Working primarily with oil on canvas, I create surreal figurative works that move between inner experience and outer form, often drawing on themes such as trauma, mental health, vulnerability, and emotion.
I am interested in the way feelings can shape the body, the face ot the space around us. In my work, figures often appear fragmented, transformed, or intertwined with symbolic elements from nature and the subconscious. These images are not meant to describe a literal story, but to create a space where emotion becomes visible.
As a self-taught artist, I approach painting intuitively, while my background in mediadesign and biology forms the way I think about image, structure, and living systems. I am especially drawn to the tension between fragility and strength, control and dissolution, instinct and identity.
Through my paintings, I try to give form to experiences that are often difficult to speak about directly. I see painting as a way of translating internal states into something tangible, where discomfort, tenderness, and complexity can exist at the same time.
Biography
My name is Celine Gradwohl, and I am a Hamburg-based self-taught artist mainly focussing on oil paintings on canvas.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Mediadesign and am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Biology. Alongside my individual practice, I am part of the art collective “Knacks”, where we create work around the topic of mental health.
In 2026, I participated in a group exhibition at Cafe Rosa with Knacks. Through my paintings, I try to give visual form to internal states and emotional experiences that can be difficult to express in words.