KAREN KOSOGLAD Abstraction in the Real World July 2020
Portrait of Karen Kosoglad
KAREN KOSOGLAD Abstraction in the Real World July 2020 Abstraction in the Real World, is an exhibition of new works by Karen Kosoglad. Re-examining her roots as a painter, Kosoglad explores gestural abstractions in the landscape and studio still lifes, while merging her long-standing focus on the human figure into a new body of work. Her expressive style, which employs contour lines, painterly marks, and a moody color palette of bright, warm colors mixed with dark hues, exudes a mysterious harmony and contemplative attitude. Regardless of subject matter, her bold compositions show a dynamic pulling and pushing between representation and pure abstraction, induced with unexpected syncopated rhythms of form and weight. Kosoglad meets abstraction in the real world—layers of complexity and emotion are unearthed. The artist directly observes her reallife subjects, yet unravels that reality into visceral relationships between organic shapes and gestures.
1915 First Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98101 www.harrisharveygallery.com, (206) 443-3315, staff@harrisharveygallery.com
Wysdom in Pink Chair oil on board 30 x 40 in.
Figure and Gia acrylic and oil on board 30 x 34 in.
Still Life with Dream oil on board 30 x 40 in.
Orange Morning Light - Dog and Figure acrylic and oil on board 26 x 30 in.
Sea and Sky - Abstraction in Landscape oil on board 40 x 30 in.
Figure and Blue Flowers oil on board 30 x 36 in.
Wysdom Seated - Remember mixed media on board 18 x 14 in.
Diana and Reflection acrylic on board 8 x 7 in. Diana and Mirror acrylic on board 8 x 7 in. Chloe and Reflection acrylic on board 8 x 7 in.
Kris and Reflection oil on board 40 x 30 in.
Emily - Side to Side oil on board 40 x 30 in.
Resting in Yellow Light acrylic on board 30 x 24 in.
Standing Figure with Still Life oil on board 36 x 24 in.
Wysdom and Kitchen Window acrylic and mixed media on board 30 x 24 in.
Sleeping Dog and Figure oil on board 14 x 18 in.
Fog and Hills oil on board 18 x 24 in.
Gia Figure in Dream oil on board 20 x 16 in.
Wysdom Seated Blue Window acrylic and mixed media on board 20 x 16 in.
Blue Figure Blue Dog oil on board 24 x 18 in.
Figure Reflection of Wysdom acrylic on board 16 x 12 in.
Deep Forest - Abstraction in Landscape oil on board 16 x 20 in.
Seated Figure Abstraction oil on board 30 x 24 in.
Wysdom and Mirror - Blue acrylic on board 24 x 20 in.
KAREN KOSOGLAD BIO Karen Kosoglad’s figurative paintings capture women during their introspective moments. Her expressive style, sometimes monochromatic, sometimes colorful, reveals her interest in what she describes as “the gestural moments in everyday life and the balance between weight, rhythm, shape and color.” Black contour lines highlight the curves and form of her live models who she has pose in chairs, with her dog, or immersed in metaphysical landscapes. She uses mirroring to increase narrative ambiguity in her works and introduce the idea of contemplation with figures pictured alongside their reflections. The paintings reveal various moods, not necessarily those of the models, but of the artist responding to the moment, and the process of construction and deconstruction of the painting itself. Karen Kosoglad lives and works in Seattle, Washington. She studied at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and earned her Bachelor of Arts at University of California at Santa Cruz where she came under the influence of painter Don Weygandt, in the circle of Richard Diebenkorn. She has a Masters in Education and taught in the Seattle public schools for over 25 years. She has exhibited primarily in the Northwest at galleries and in invitational museum exhibitions at Maryhill Museum of Art, Whatcom Museum of History and Art and Bellevue Art Museum. Her work is in private collections in Boston, Chicago, and New York as well as on the West Coast of the United States and in Italy. BORN 1957 Chicago, Illinois Lives and works in Seattle, Washington EDUCATION 1975,1976, 1977 1980 1982 1995
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin University of California, Santa Cruz - Bachelor of Arts Seattle Pacific University - Certification - Elementary Education & Art, City University, Seattle, WA Masters in Education - Curriculum & Instruction
RESIDENCIES AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE 2010 – 2019 1993 – 2009 1991, 1992, 1994 1983 – 1993 1985 – 1993
Nova High School, Seattle, Washington Summit K-12 Middle & High School King County Arts & Education Program/Hotel Motel Tax Rounds, I, II, III Very Special Arts Washington Washington State Artist in Residence Program
SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2020 Harris Harvey Gallery, “Abstraction in the Real World,” Seattle, Washington 2018 Harris Harvey Gallery, “The Line and the Figure,” Seattle, Washington 2016 Lisa Harris Gallery, “In Retrospect: Gary Nisbet & Karen Kosoglad Over 25 years,” Seattle, Washington (two-person show) 2015 Lisa Harris Gallery, “Contour, Gesture, and the Figure,” Seattle, WA 2013 Lisa Harris Gallery, “Fields and Figures,” Seattle, Washington 2011 Lisa Harris Gallery, “Figure and Landscape,” Seattle, Washington 2009 Lisa Harris Gallery, “Small Paintings and Collages,” Seattle, Washington 2008 Lisa Harris Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2005 Gallery 110, Seattle, Washington 2003 Still Life Cafe on the University Ave, Seattle, Washington 2003 Rabbe Associatione, Rome, Italy 2002 Pitcairn Scott Gallery, Washington 2000 Mary Vitold Gallery, Seattle, Washington
1997 – 2000 1997 1994 1990 1985 1980
Bungalow Wine Bar & Cafe, Seattle, Washington Temple Beth’ Am, Seattle, Washington Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, Washington Window Arts Gallery, Seattle, Washington Swingside Cafe, Seattle, Washington University of California, Santa Cruz, California
GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2019 “Small Works,” Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington “Summer Reflections,” Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2017 “Fall Focus,” Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington “On Paper”, Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2016 “Winter’s Offering”, Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington “31 for 32: Summer Salon,” Lisa Harris Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2014 “Seattle Icons,” Lisa Harris Gallery, Seattle, Washington “Summer School: Recognizing Teaching Artists,” Lisa Harris Gallery, Seattle, Washington “Inky Spokes,” Seattle, Bellingham, Tacoma, Snoqualmie, Washington “Color, Composition, Content,” Aljoya Thornton Place, Seattle, Washington 2013 “Gone To The Dogs,” Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland, Washington 2012 “Plein Air Invitational,” Lisa Harris Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2011 San Francisco Fine Art Fair, San Francisco, California 2010 Northwind Arts Center, “Transforming Gesture-Paint and Metal Become Form”, Port Townsend, Washington 2009 25th Anniversary Show, Lisa Harris Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2008 “Zero,” Columbia City Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2006 “Drawing in the New Year,” Columbia City Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2006 Gallery 110, Seattle, Washington Arts Book Press Define Book 2004 “The Body Politic,“ (juried) Gallery 110, Seattle, Washington 2001, 2004 Artist Trust Benefit Auction, Seattle, Washington 2001 Mary Vitold Gallery, Seattle, Washington 1999 “Like Cats & Dogs,” Pratt Fine Arts, Seattle, Washington Northwest AIDS Benefit, Seattle, Washington 1999, 1998 “Erotica Valentine Show,” Allison & Ross, Seattle, Washington 1998 “Woof, The Dog in Art!” Bainbridge Arts & Crafts, Bainbridge Island, Washington 1998 “International Art Competition,” Whatcom Museum of History & Industry, Bellingham, Washington “Introductions,” Lawrence L. Hultbert Fine Art, San Francisco, California 1996 “Drawing from the Well,” Seattle, Washington 1995 – 1999 Artist Trust Benefit Auction, Seattle, Washington 1995 “The Other Washington,” B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Museum, Washington, D.C. 1992 Barbara Warwick Gallery, Seattle, Washington “Form Divine”, Italia, Seattle, Washington “9th Northwest International Art Competition,” Whatcom Museum of History & Art, Bellingham, Washington 1990 Northwest Annual,” COCA, Seattle, Washington 1989 Bellevue Arts & Crafts Fair (Professional Div. Painting, Juror Award) 1988 Bellevue Arts & Crafts Fair (Professional Div. Drawing) “Madonna Show,” Raison d’Etre, Seattle, Washington “International Woman’s Day Exhibition,” Seattle Community College 1987 “7th NW Int’l Art Competition,” Whatcom Museum of History & Art, Bellingham, Washington
KAREN KOSOGLAD BIO CONTINUED... 1987 1985
Maryhill Museum of Art, Maryhill, Washington “Washington’s Women’s Artists,” Significant Form Gallery, Seattle, Washington “Madonna Show,” Bumbershoot, Seattle, Washington University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
PUBLICATIONS 2018 2015 2013 2009 2006 2000 1985
“8 Things to Do in Seattle This Weekend,” Crosscut, April 12, 2018 Spring Art Quarterly, The Stranger, March “Dog Days at the Kirkland Arts Center,” The Seattle Times, November 18, 2013 “Jewish on Canvas,” JT News.net, August 19, 2009 “An Artistic welcome to the New Year,” JT News, September 29, 2006 “SW Spotlight,” Seattle Weekly Cover Artist, Backbone Magazine, Seattle
COLLECTIONS Represented in private collections throughout the country including Chicago, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles as well as in Italy.
Karen Kosoglad in her studio
1915 First Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98101 www.harrisharveygallery.com, (206) 443-3315, staff@harrisharveygallery.com