Palm Green on Ice

Original Artwork, 90 × 80, 2026
acrylic on canvas

Belongs to the series: Between the Margins

About the work

Palm Green on Ice speaks to the beauty found in adversity and power of resilience, the merger of two worlds held in a single frame. Of being from somewhere tropical and sun-drenched, yet making your way in the Netherlands.

This painting advocates for the shared story of those in motion, finding ground on unfamiliar soil, adapting without erasing, and making something meaningful out of it.

That is what it looks like to thrive somewhere you were never expected to be. Not transformation. Not assimilation. Just presence. Colour. The warmth you carry from somewhere else that remains visible.

Exhibiting At

Gallery Wind
Prins Hendrikkade 124A
Noordereiland
July 19th - August 30th

Palm Green on Ice, 2026 - acrylic on canvas, 90 × 80 cm, by Jamaican-Dutch artist Karla King. Part of the Between the Margins series exploring migration and belonging in the Netherlands.

On one of the snowiest day’s during peak winter 2026, a photo of five parakeets perched in the snow came in my inbox. And it shook me. Made me emotional in a way I wasn’t expecting. For as I was navigating the reality of Seaonal Affective Disorder, I immediately recognised myself in the story it told.
A flock of vibrant tropical birds, built for warmth and colour and open skies. And yet there they were, vivid, unhurried, in their flock, navigating ice that was never part of their story.
It took me straight back to the first time I saw snow and how I cried. Not from sadness exactly, but from the sheer weight of how different everything was. That image of the parakeets captured that feeling and everything that comes after it. The disorientation. The persistence. The slow, quiet process of finding your footing somewhere outside of your own.
Palm Green on Ice s a one-of-a-kind original.
It is hand-signed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
This work is executed on premium linen with professional deep wooden stretcher support and reinforced cross-bracing. The surface is prepared with multiple acrylic gesso layers and an isolation coat.
The finished work is sealed with a protective archival varnish. Every material decision was made with the same intention as the work itself
To ensure the highest level of care, each artwork is prepared individually before dispatch and shipped fully insured. International collectors outside the EU should note that local import duties or taxes may apply depending on country regulations. If you have any questions regarding shipping, framing, or delivery, you’re warmly invited to get in touch.