Karen Cheok (b. 1998, Malaysian-Chinese) is a full-time independent artist who has been actively practicing for over five years. She received her artistic training at the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA), where she completed her Diploma in Fine Art in 2019.
Cheok’s practice has evolved from painting to include mixed media works and intricate 3D creations made with modelling clay, a medium that has become her signature in recent years.
Her works are infused with vibrant colours and imaginative forms, often weaving together elements of the everyday and the natural world into an immersive, whimsical universe.
Her versatility spans across acrylic, gouache, graphite, and now sculptural media, yet the strong use of colours and visual movement remains a constant across her body of work. With a growing online presence and a highly engaged global audience, Cheok has cultivated a distinctive style that resonates widely for its playfulness, intricacy, and dreamlike sensibility.
She was awarded the Consolation Prize in the Art Against Aids competition (2019), and was invited the same year to present a live painting demo at Panggung Riuh. Her works have been featured in The Sun newspaper (2021), as well as in Stive Asia and JUICE Malaysia (2022).