ARTISTS
Karen Warshal: Someone, Somewhere, Something: 鈥婩igures, Landscapes and Still Lifes
There are a few truths that I believe pertain to all my work: It鈥檚 not about me. It is about the world around me. I don鈥檛 want to convince anyone of anything but I do like telling stories. I am in pursuit of beauty.
As a very young artist in the late 1970鈥檚 and early 80鈥檚, I did abstract paintings. It was the thing then, and it was all I knew how to do. Contrary to what some might think, it was difficult, and a little too soul wrenching for my constitution. I longed to be able to observe a subject outside myself and simply paint it. For that, however, I needed more training. Fortunately, I was able to find it.
The act of observation with the many challenges it presents is a driving force in all my work. Although I occasionally invent imaginary backgrounds for my figures, I always paint my people, places and objects from life. It鈥檚 my hope that the immediacy of the experience with my subject fosters the creation of a new reality that the viewer will deem worthy of entering.
I like painting everything, but Portraiture is probably my favorite. I view my models as my collaborators, and I鈥檝e worked with some amazing models. Model sessions at my studio last four hours. The models get breaks but they work hard and are dedicated. The dynamic between artist and model is so important. It鈥檚 fascinating to watch someone鈥檚 face over time as the inner self comes to light.
I love creating narratives, sometimes ambiguous and other times specific. I鈥檝e spent what seems like half a lifetime in museums studying paintings from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century. This has profoundly influenced my work. The art of symbolism has been largely abandoned but I love symbolism in stories. I use it sometimes but I鈥檓 not ever sure if people understand it.
Still lifes are great because they don鈥檛 move. I can paint them any time, and people seem to like them. They give me a chance to study form, color and composition under the wonderful north facing skylight in my studio.鈥�
Plein air painting makes me more decisive. The rapidly changing light conditions require observation and inspiration to mingle. I鈥檓 excited to include eight little landscapes that I did in Umbria this past summer.
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There are a few truths that I believe pertain to all my work: It鈥檚 not about me. It is about the world around me. I don鈥檛 want to convince anyone of anything but I do like telling stories. I am in pursuit of beauty.
As a very young artist in the late 1970鈥檚 and early 80鈥檚, I did abstract paintings. It was the thing then, and it was all I knew how to do. Contrary to what some might think, it was difficult, and a little too soul wrenching for my constitution. I longed to be able to observe a subject outside myself and simply paint it. For that, however, I needed more training. Fortunately, I was able to find it.
The act of observation with the many challenges it presents is a driving force in all my work. Although I occasionally invent imaginary backgrounds for my figures, I always paint my people, places and objects from life. It鈥檚 my hope that the immediacy of the experience with my subject fosters the creation of a new reality that the viewer will deem worthy of entering.
I like painting everything, but Portraiture is probably my favorite. I view my models as my collaborators, and I鈥檝e worked with some amazing models. Model sessions at my studio last four hours. The models get breaks but they work hard and are dedicated. The dynamic between artist and model is so important. It鈥檚 fascinating to watch someone鈥檚 face over time as the inner self comes to light.
I love creating narratives, sometimes ambiguous and other times specific. I鈥檝e spent what seems like half a lifetime in museums studying paintings from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century. This has profoundly influenced my work. The art of symbolism has been largely abandoned but I love symbolism in stories. I use it sometimes but I鈥檓 not ever sure if people understand it.
Still lifes are great because they don鈥檛 move. I can paint them any time, and people seem to like them. They give me a chance to study form, color and composition under the wonderful north facing skylight in my studio.鈥�
Plein air painting makes me more decisive. The rapidly changing light conditions require observation and inspiration to mingle. I鈥檓 excited to include eight little landscapes that I did in Umbria this past summer.
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