I have always had a strong interest in all sorts of crafts and creative processes.
- Having lived in Latin America, Africa, Europe and in arctic Quebec, I have a particular interest in using
- different ethnic elements in my work. Guatemalan weavers, West African carvers and textiles designers,
- Inuit appliqué artists and an isolated French pacifist community have histories of creating beautiful, functional
- objects with motifs and symbols found in nature. The privilege of intimate contact with these people in their
- life and work has strongly influenced me in my artistic journey.
- In creating vessels I continuously explore the use of vessels in daily life as well as in rites and rituals. The
- accouterments in the humblest shelter include vessels or container to hold the family's necessities and are
- embellished and given pride of place. In many religious practices, vessels are used in celebration rituals.
- Birth and death events also include the use of vessels in ceremonial as well as practical usage.
- In my work, the rich colours and textures are achieved by layering silk and a variety of found fibres, salvaged
- threads and other glitzy stuff and uniting the whole by freehand machine embroidery. Once the newly created fabric
- is sufficiently stable, it is cut into desired shapes and stitched together by hand, much in the manner of a stained
- glass worker assembling a piece.
- Growing up in an environment of resourcefulness and conservation, I also focus my energies on using found
- objects and materials that are safe for people and living things.
- An interview with Karen
- Napoleon
- Mermaid
- "Waiting for her ship to come In"
- 2 Small Purses
- Turkish Delight, 1998
- Trillium, 1998
- Fibres & Finds
Sample of metallics and variety of fibres in water-soluble fabrics
Her work can be seen at:
Studio (by appointment)
- 38 Collingwood Street, West
- Meaford, ON
- (519) 538-4864
- atelier@bmts.com
Harbinger Gallery
22 Dupont St.E.
Waterloo, ON N2J 2J9
Tel: (519) 747-4644
Fax: (519) 747-4063
www.harbingergallery.com
- The Carlen Gallery
- 1171 Bank St. E. Ottawa, ON K1S 3X7
- (613) 730-5555
- Lynn Robinson - Atelier Ceramique
- 3 dimensional Art/Craft Gallery + Studio
- 709 Queen Street, W., Toronto, ON M6J 1E6
- (416) 703-2467
- Artopia Framing Gallery
- 276 Wellington St., Sarnia, ON N7T 1H2
- (519) 332-0278
- A Gift of Art
- 575 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 3G2
- (519) 642-4095
- Photo Credits: Alison Bailey Smith
- INFO FOR ARTISTS
All artwork copyright © by the Artist
