This work by Karen Kilimnik reflects her concern with the natural world, particularly for the sinister environmental threats of global warming. The tiara's Arctic ice theme is evidence of her understanding that the greenhouse effect is causing irreversible damage to habitats including that of the Arctic fox.

Karen Kilimnik first drew attention in the 1990s with the distinctive "installation" approach and has since established herself as a pre-eminent contemporary painter.  Kilimnik's unique practice exists firmly within the continuum of painting's history, yet is evocative of Kilimnik's own personal interpretations of the world.  The artist's paintings depict estate interiors, animals of distinction, chateaux and country cottages, portraits of strong and mysterious women, as well as dashing suitors, and the sweeping period landscapes.  Kilimnik revisits locales and subjects and re-imagines these subjects in new narratives and settings, enriching them with references to popular, historical and occult anecdotes of her own predilection.