▁while ▁interact ing ▁with ▁her ▁and ▁ex ch anging ▁life ▁histor ies ▁as ▁she ▁pain ts , ▁these ▁must ▁be ▁considered ▁port ra its . ▁Although ▁narr ative , ▁her ▁paint ings ▁when ▁viewed ▁close ▁up ▁dissol ve ▁into ▁strong , ▁abstract ▁statements ▁in ▁ener get ically ▁applied ▁imp asto ▁o ils . ▁K art ika ' s ▁work ▁ranges ▁from ▁the ▁sweet ▁and ▁id yl lic ▁to ▁an ▁express ive ▁real ism ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁har sh . ▁The ▁latter ▁is ▁evident ▁in ▁her ▁paint ings ▁of ▁begg ars , ▁hand ic apped ▁people ▁and ▁suffering ▁animals ▁and ▁in ▁her ▁un comp rom ising ▁dep iction ▁of ▁the ▁progress ▁of ▁old ▁age , ▁whether ▁painting ▁a ▁stranger , ▁her ▁father , ▁or ▁herself . ▁ ▁K art ika ' s ▁career ▁experienced ▁a ▁res urg ence ▁around ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁when ▁she ▁studied ▁painting ▁rest oration ▁in ▁Austria ▁to ▁enable ▁her ▁to ▁repair ▁Aff and i ' s ▁d eter ior ating ▁paint ings . ▁Here , ▁sol itude ▁and ▁reflection ▁p aved ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁her ▁most ▁unusual ▁port ra its . ▁ ▁Tra vel s ▁and ▁exhib itions ▁K art ika ▁received ▁international ▁critical ▁pra ise ▁for ▁her ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁She ▁visited ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁for ▁an ▁exhibition ▁that ▁covered ▁Can ber ra , ▁Sydney ▁and ▁Melbourne .. ▁She ▁also ▁visited ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁ ▁Her