Live An Artful Life Magazine Issue 9 by Live An Artful Life Magazine

Artful Live An

速 Life Magazine

Three Dimensional Storytellers! Katheleen Kendall Sarah Angle Karen Rexrode PeaceLove Studios

Kim Tapper - Life Coach

Artful Life

Live An

Magazine

PUBLISHER, EDITOR Tom Neel tneel@LiveAnArtfulLifeMagazine.com PUBLISHER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Linda Neel lneel@LiveAnArtfulMagazine.com ADVERTISING 540-253-9797 CONTRIBUTORS Tom Neel Aimeé O'Grady Kim Tapper, Life Coach, ACC, CPCC PHOTO CREDITS We wish to thank the following people of the wonderful photos used in this issue. Tom Neel PeaceLove Studios

ON THE COVER

"Searching" hand painted wood tray by Sarah Angle, 16" X 16".

SUBMISSIONS Live An Artful Life Magazine welcomes article submissions by email to submissions@ LiveAnArtfulLifeMagazine.com. Please include contact information. COPYRIGHT 2016 Live An Artful Life Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be copied or reprinted without written permission from the Editor. Live An Artful Life is a registerd trademark of Live An Artful Life Inc. Live An Artful Life Inc P.O. Box 163 6474 Main Street The Plains, VA 20198

2 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

to our readers As we bury our Northern Virginia rain deficit in with a deluge of daily drizzles, premiums are being placed on sunshine. So this, our delayed 9th issue, then comes at a time when good reading material should come in handy. We hope so anyway! With each new issue we try our best to expand our and your artful horizons through the vision and lives of others. The feature artist stories you find in this issue have a few things in common. They are all about women who are all about the same age, who creatively express themselves in more than one way and medium. They've all experienced some adversity and their art is then a very important part of their lives. A part that grounds them and they would be in a very different place without it. All of their art though is also quite narrative. These artists are story tellers and all uniquely three dimensional in their own special way. Three dimensional stories, which make for one wonderful creative volume! Kim Tapper is also back with her words of wisdom found in Life Coach, and with this issue we would also like to introduce our newest contributing writer, Aimeé O'Grady. Aimee brings us a heart warming story of art and community with her piece on Peace Love Studios located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and Las Vegas Nevada. Aimeé has also been contributing valuable website content too! Which reminds me to remind you, Live An Artful Life Magazine is more than a digital publication, our informative website stitches your issues together! Enjoy reading and we hope sunshine eventually warms your face wherever you may be! Live An Artful Life, Tom

inside

7 PeaceLove

Kathleen Kendall The Magic Touch

Studios

Photo courtesy of PeaceLove Studios. Read their story on page 7.

4 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Life Coach

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Good artist has less time than ideas.â&#x20AC;? Martin Kippenberger

24 Sarah Angle

Folk Artist Extraordinaire

Karen Rexrode Life Of The Assemblage Art Gardener

"The Artful You Series" FRAMING FOR ARTISTS with Linda & Tom Neel June 16, 6:30 - 8:30

Space is Limited CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!

To artists, as painters, often the necessary evil is framing. But framing is not only an important part of presentation, it’s a functional part of protecting and haning your artwork and un- fortunately many artists do it incorrectly. In this session artists will learn the simple tools and proper do-it-yourself techniques and materials of framing. Learn not only what hardward to use, but the proper placement of it. Learn the best hanging wire and the proper framing knot and why. ese techniques will put you on the good side of gallery and art show manage- ment and insure safety in installations.

THE CREATIVE CYCLE with Tom Neel May 19, 6:30 - 8:30 While we are born uninhibited by creativity, for many, time and adult responsibilities eventually become a hurtle to creative expression. One which brings the fear of achieving less than desirable results and a “which way do I go and where do I begin” mentality. Many retired business professionals and baby boomers especially wish to visit the fun of their youth. With a lifetime of creative experience and nearly three decades as a professional artist, Tom Neel is about to hand you the keys to unlock the inner creative you!

Live An Artful Life®

Hosted by

6474 Main Street, The Plains, VA

6 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

peacelove Studios

Shines A Light on Mental Health By AmieĂŠ O'Grady PeaceLove Studios: An alternative to

skill so much so that an art show hosted

therapy and prescriptions. Using expres-

by his cousin, Kaplan, yielded a $16,000

sive arts to provide healing qualities for

profit in just one night. Sparr wanted

people who are open to

others to experience what

exploring their creative side.

he had and set out to cre-

A place for people free of

ate an environment that

judgement to work through

would encourage people

their problems.

to use their creative sens-

In 2009, cousins Matt Ka-

es through expressive arts

plan and Jeffrey Sparr part-

to optimize mental health.

nered to open PeaceLove

The men took the funds

Studios, an expressive arts

from the show, bought art

studio, open to all members

supplies and headed to the

of the community. The first

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Intensive Treat-

studio was opened in Rhode

ment Unit at Butler Hospital

Island, with a second loca-

Jeff Sparr

in Rhode Island. Over the

tion in Las Vegas which opened earlier this

next several months, Sparr shared his

year.

experience with hundreds of children and

The story begins with Sparr, a textile salesman, who noticed that his anxiety

adults. He began to make a difference. Since 2009, Kaplan and Sparr have no-

related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

ticed that the PeaceLove Studio members

lessened when he painted. In a desperate

have achieved more positive outcomes

attempt to find anything that would allevi-

in an environment where treatment is

ate his pain, he followed the advice from

not prescribed but rather they are free

a friend and picked up some art supplies.

to express themselves however they so

Over the years he honed his new found

choose, with no attention paid to the qual-

ity of the finished

mind. After being

product. “It is the

trained, Creators

process of creating

are able to deliver

that is important,

a 6-week series

not what is created

that consists of

in the end,” says

visual arts, story-

Kaplan.

telling, sound and

Corporations

movement with

have taken heed of

the purpose of

their approach and

helping individu-

turned their focus

als develop skills

to mental wellness and are now partnering

to achieve mental wellness. Creators can

with PeaceLove Studios to organize cor-

now be found in nine states throughout

porate retreats and invest more in their

the U.S. The goal of the Creators program

employees’ total health and wellness beyond just the physical. CVS Health is one such partner and Michaels is the exclusive art supplier for the studio. Thanks to support from corporate partners and the sale of the merchandise, PeaceLove Studios is able to impact people’s lives. To date the studio has reached over 20,000 individuals through programs, community events, and studio and event scholarships. One year ago, the duo added a program called Creators to the studio. The program trains and equips frontline people, such as social workers who work with populations in the greatest need of peace of 8 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

is to continuously engage people in mental

alive with passion. They had many ques-

health and expressive arts in order to help

tions about what was allowed and accept-

people lead healthier lives.

able and what the rules were. I had to

During one corporate retreat hosted by

constantly remind them that they had the

partner Alex and Ani, an attendee un-

freedom to choose whatever expressed

covered some challenging emotions. The

how they feel.

Creator could see the spark as the woman spoke honestly and openly about her situation. She has since moved on and sought further help and has improved her mental wellness. From a children’s workshop in Connecticut, a Creator shared on the PeaceLove Blog that “…some of the participants were hesitant at first, their creativity seemed to come

PeaceLove allowed them to be the funny

out on the path to wellness. PeaceLove

and engaging children that they are. At

Studios encourages everyone to pick up a

the same time, it allowed for them to ex-

brush or pen and explore the expressive

plore their emotions and was an outlet for

arts.

expression if they were comfortable doing so.”

To learn more about PeaceLove Studios or about becoming a Creator visit their

“We have created a safe space for peo-

website at http://peacelovestudios.com/.

ple to talk,” Kaplan says. PeaceLove Studios has provided the space, the materials and the encouragement for people to address their mental health issues and start

All photos courtesy of PeaceLove Studios.

It's all smiles at peacelove studios creators training!

10 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

THOMAS NEEL F I N E A RT

The Piedmont’s Premier Landscape Painter

“Poppies", oil on canvas, 30” X 48”

One of the most collected and commissioned fine artists of the Piedmont region of Virginia, with paintings throughout America and abroad. All works are beautifully framed and locally delivered or shipped. We invite you to visit our website or call for more information.

ThomasNeel.com • Studio 540-364-4401

"Feathers, Petals And Sliders" June 8 - June 26

The solo show of fun, colorful, creative, mixed media paintings by Linda Hendrickson!

"Looney Tunes Ride", 12" X 12" Mixed Media

12 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Painting Demo! n! io t p e c e R w o h S June 11, 1 - 5 PM June 12, 3 - 5PM

"Captain's Choice Polkdot", 24" X 24" Mixed Media "Sea Joy", 12" X 12" Mixed Media

Meet, talk and watch Linda Hendrickson paint at her upcoming demo!

Live

An Artful Life速 G A L L E R Y

6474 Main Street, The Plains, VA 20198 540-253-9797

LiveAnArtfulLife.com

Kathleen Kendall

Above - "Fortune" Facing page left - "Under The Rose", right - "The Secret"

14 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

"The Magic Touch"

As if in a fairy tale, I make my way to

other aunt a painter. Her grandparents on

the charming little cottage home and stu-

her mother’s side were makers of beautiful

dio of Kathleen Kendall. I knock, the door

lacquered, stenciled trays and decorative

opens, she greets me and invites me in.

pieces, and her mother was a watercol-

Kendall is soft spoken, pretty, petite, an

orist. Indeed her brother and cousins are

art school teach-

artistic as well. “So I just grew up around

er and of course

art.”

an artist, which is

Kathleen share’s that she always loved

the reason for my

painting and that clay was really interest-

visit. Looking at

ing to her too. Today working with both

her and her art,

equally she says, “I really have a hard

one might think

time deciding what

her life was one

to do .. so I take

of complete har-

turns” [between the

mony. Instead,

two]. This seems to

it seems to have

be a common thread

been a journey of

I find in multi-media

reasonable adver-

artists. That feeling

sity and challenge. I only share this be-

somewhat torn be-

cause it makes the things that she creates

tween two mediums

that much more magical and personal.

or forms of creative

Born and raised outside of Boston and

expression, as if one

on Cape Cod, Kathleen explains of her

medium will inter-

roots, “I come from a family of artists.”

nally be jealous of

One aunt was a well known sculptor Joyce

the other. Though Kathleen claims her

Johnson, founder of Truro Center for the

“hard time”, I see the two as fluid and

Arts [Castle Hill] on Cape Cod and her

flowing equally to the point of it being

very natural for a collector to have both her paintings and her sculpture. Kathleen married a Vietnam vet when

Virginia. That was 12 years ago. Today along with her art, she is an art teacher at Irving Middle School in Fair-

she was young. They were married 15

fax, VA. which she says really makes her

years and one day her husband, on his

happy and is rewarding, sighting this

birthday, walked out the door and she

age group, “You can talk to the kids like

never saw him again. She explains they

they’re adults, … You can teach them

were close, so she was

something and you see that light go on.” Along with giving the gift of creativity to her students she says, “I like to be around it [art] all the time, every spare moment I can reflect on my own

hysterical for weeks and while there’s more to this story, talk about set backs. The only work she had done during her marriage was some

stuff while I am

graphic design work and one can see

there because

those skills still remain honed. But alone,

you are sur-

she had to do something and shares, “I

rounded by it.”

didn’t decide to go to college until I was

Kathleen motions me to look around the

40”. She earned an MIS degree from VCU,

room while showing me examples of her

a BFA from the University of West Florida

loving so many different forms of art. She

and teacher certification from UT in Austin

enjoys still life, she loves working in pas-

and after this, she eventually moved to

tels, tempera painting, abstract, mosaic,

16 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

mix media, different things, but much of

She says of her work, “It’s blissful, I feel

her gallery paintings are influenced by the

good all the time when I’m painting. I can

Pre-Raphaelites which came from a trip to

sit for 10 hours straight and paint. I forget

visit an aunt many years ago that lived in

I’m hungry, I love to paint.”

England. During that trip she went to see

Kathleen also loves mechanical things

the museum at the Royal Academy and

and mechanical people, those who love

was taken by the Pre-Raphaelites paint-

mechanical things. A true classic motor-

ings she saw, bringing home books you

cyclist years ago, she tells me of riding

could only find there. It was obviously life

Indian and Triumph motorcycles. This was

changing and the start of a new life as an

something about her I didn’t see coming,

artist.

but that bit of fearlessness shows in her

Kendall’s artistic voice speaks with a rich timelessness

creative process. layered in

It’s refreshing and the

thought, humor,

mechanical side of her shows up especial-

playfulness, antiquity and story. Her art is

ly in her clay pieces, many of which have

mindful and it seems to be the one thing

small working or hand fabricated parts.

in her life that has been completely truth-

For her paintings, there are interesting

ful to her. It’s as if art seems dedicated to

aspects which bring them to life. While

her happiness and therefore, I would say

the painting part is done in oil, Kathleen

it’s as important as her own heartbeat.

creates designs through photoshop using

layered effects to be printed onto a tissue type paper. This process allows her to position and scale them to support her desired narrative. She then places them over her oil painting and through a varnishing step, the tissue paper becomes saturated and visually disappears into the varnish leaving the designs and her oil painting seen as one.

"Another Day in Paradise"

plains, “My grandmother was British and so I grew up in that story land of mythology … and those things just tend to seep into my work.” Kathleen loves magical things.

"Abundance"

Kathleen admits she likes some of her pieces “to feel a little odd” but not dark in nature, and those who enjoy her work are quickly drawn to it. This includes her little sculptures. “I started making clay things and I’m illustrative with my clay. I’m kind of sentimental and my brain is probably more like in Alice in Wonderland.” She ex18 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

"Pearl"

Like her paintings, Kathleen’s sculptures all have stories and often come with working parts that help the whimsical aspect of her storytelling. Kathleen describes them as archaic and funny. She also textures them to look as she describes them, “That they’ve been at the bottom of the sea.” They have a unique antique toy quality about them making them fun to collect. You can see a great selection of Kathleen Kendall’s artwork at Live An Artful Life Gallery.

Small jewells from Kathleen's bird series

Kathleen Kendall

Life Coach By Kim Tapper Finding The Unusual in Everyday Life

schedule. The time you and your spouse took a spontaneous road trip to nowhere special. That four-hour dinner you lin-

How routine is your life? Do you take

gered over, tasting every morsel. The

the same roads, eat the same foods, and

vacation you took with your best buds

talk to the same people pretty much ev-

that you still laugh about every time you

ery day? If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like most people, the

think of it. That stranger you started a

answer is a resounding yes because we

conversation with not really knowing why

are creatures of routines and habits. We

but feeling compelled to talk to.

often thrive on

It is critical

that repetition

to our growth

and feel that

to break our

there is some

routines. Neu-

sense and or-

rologically

der to the world

speaking we

because of our

now know

schedules.

that the brain

But if I asked

is malleable

you to recollect

and can con-

any of the mo-

tinue to grow

ments in your life that were wildly fun,

and develop new neural pathways long

fascinating, simply delicious, thrilling,

after it was once thought but the key to

precious, or even just ones that stood

that growth is learning and doing things

out, your answers would overwhelming-

that are new. Similar is true in business

ly come from the moments that were

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the cutting edge and most successful

unusual and off the beaten path of your

companies are the ones that continue to

20 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

push the edges of their work and antici-

and families. You can introduce simple,

pate new trends and shifts in culture and

little things into your daily or weekly lives

economy. Inventors live on that edge

and elicit great results. Eleanor Roos-

too, constantly creating bridges for us

evelt is quoted as having said, “Do one

between what was once and what will be.

thing every day that scares you.” That

Psychologically, the only way we change

would surely shake up your world! But

our lives is to change our personal hab-

you don’t even have to go that far if you

its, mindsets and actions. You want to

don’t want to. Here are ten super simple

free yourself from anger or shame? You

suggestions of ways to bring a little more

do the work to discover its roots and

adventure, tap into the unusual and grow

you create new ways of thinking about

your life:

those things, new habits to help you re-

Drive home a different way and

lease those unwanted negative beliefs

take in the new scenic view – add to this

and replace them with positive, healthier

by putting on some music you don’t often

ones that support you in your life. Great teachers who want to truly connect with their students do not teach in the same way to every single student year after year. They keep their style and delivery fresh and they create new ways to connect to students who might need a different teaching style. Now here’s the best part – we can all do this in small doses every single day! Leaning into the edges of your life, breaking your routines does not have to mean a spontaneous mid-life-crisis kind of adventure every night. Nor do you have to throw out your entire routine and cause harm and wreak havoc on your lives, jobs

“Behind The Label” By Kim Tapper

Available online at A Place to Be and Mascot Books

listen to and create a whole soundscape to this experience 2.

bed. Why not? 9.

Try one different food you’ve

Change the order of your morn-

ing routine – maybe you eat breakfast

never tasted or order a new meal at your

before you shower today. Just to shake

favorite restaurant instead of getting the

things up!

same thing as always 3.

10. Talk to someone new today –

Wear a color you don’t normally

anyone! – at work or in your community

wear (even if it’s your underwear and no

and open up to the many different people

one sees it!)

all around you

Buy flowers for your home or for

Whether it’s an intellectual pursuit, so-

someone you care about – just because

cial connection, or sensory experience,

- and while you’re buying them, take an

doing something unusual and out of your

extra few moments to really notice the

normal routine can help open up different

many varieties of shapes and colors…what

facets of your life. Make the most out of

extraordinary gifts of nature!

your life by seeing things as new, experi-

Go to a lecture or concert, may-

encing things uniquely, opening to things

be something free at the local library

out of your comfort zone, and slowing

or art gallery. Or listen to a TEDtalk or

down time by breaking up your routine.

watch a documentary on something you

Time moves quickly no doubt. Slow down

never wouldn’t ordinarily stop to learn

by making the moments count.

about 6.

Start up a conversation with

a neighbor you’ve not taken the time to know. 7.

Try a different exercise activity

one day – even if it’s something you think you’re bad at! Your body and your mind will appreciate the change 8.

Read (or write) a poem before

22 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Read more Life Coach articles by Kim Tapper in the back issues of Live An Artful Life Magazine

Individual Sessions

Lunch

Bunch Social

Groups

Immersion Program

Years of

Helping people face, navigate,

and overcome lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenges using the Therapeutic Arts.

Summer Camps

Same Sky

Project

(540) 687-6740

W W W. A P LA C E TO B E VA . O R G

SARAH ANGLE

Folk Artist Extraordinaire! By Tom Neel

Sarah Angle may describe herself as shy,

2X4’s were at her disposal, along with a

but her genuine smile, hospitable open-

child’s imagination and it went from there.

ness, and gifted sense of humor indicate

“My Grandmother did a lot of refinishing

otherwise. This self proclaimed people

furniture”, Sarah shares, so she also had

pleaser is a relaxed country girl, who

access to tools and it seems the true free-

takes life as it comes,

dom to learn. “We had

while wrapping it all

a wonderful childhood,

up with a tongue and

couldn’t have asked for

cheek bow. Angle’s art

a better life.” As much

is a magical reflection

as anything it would

of someone with a built

seem that Sarah was

in internal chuckle and

given that “you can

the talent to creatively

do anything” skill set.

deliver that fun to us.

Hopefully not a rarity

Originally from Rocky

today.

Mt., Virginia, now living

Time passed, Sar-

near Richmond, Sar-

ah married her hus-

ah and her sister were

band Don and had her

raised by their grand-

daughter and those

parents. Sarah loved

childhood skills re-

art and always took

turned as she started

art classes in school.

making crafts. She

Her grandmother also gave them pock-

only took one carving class and Sarah

et knives as children, which for Sarah

says, “Really, the only thing I learned

became the gateway to whittling, a fun

was how to sharpen the tools. But that is

word for wood carving. Tree branches and

really one of the most important things.

24 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Above left - "Is it Quitting Time" Above right - Clock in Sarah's studio Below left - "Eggs And Bacon" Below right - "Eating Crow"

Top left and middle - "Kaleidoscope" Bottom - "Summer on The Farm" All of Sarah's bowls and trays Receive five coats of a food safe varnish.

26 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Top left - "Keeping Watch" Top right - "Fish Bowl" Middle - "Birds and Bees" Bottom right - Sarah leaves not stone unturned, here is the bottom of "Birds and Bees".

If you have a dull tool, you’re going to cut

little people in there, and I liked Mary En-

yourself because you’re going to press too

gelbreit and all her design, on design, on

hard and slip.” Good lesson learned.

design.” She also gives credit to color by

There are those things learned and then

saying, “One thing I find is that if you use

there are those natural abilities. In Sarah

some colors continuously, just like in dec-

Angle’s case, it’s that ability to see humor,

orating, if you repeat them again, you can

even dare I say, in the face of some real

make the patterns as odd or disconnected

personal adversity. But the whimsey in

as you want as long as you’re repeating

her work is so strong, I often think people

color.” All great design words of wisdom!

see it way before her unarguable creative

Sarah’s paint medium is acrylic, with col-

talent. It’s as if hidden away in her head

or usually going over a black base which

is a joyous toy box. Yet her presenta-

she allows to show through, creating what

tion of it to us, is delivered with complex

she describes as a dark cartoon line. The

designs, brilliant color choices and in the

designs are laid out with a water soluble

case of her carved pieces, true interpre-

pencil and if she’s not satisfied she just

tive thought and dimension.

washes it off and starts again.

Sarah is as good a painter as she is a

Sarah’s work space is split between a

carver and vice versa, but for me, her

studio upstairs in her home and a work

design work stands alone. She tells me

shop in the basement. Tools of her trade

the design part of the process is the hard-

are abundant and her studio is filled with

est and once she has it, “Stand out of the

the whimsy reflected in her work. It’s like

way!” She explains, “As I’ve gotten older

a fun supporting cast of characters cheer-

I’ve allowed myself to not be so critical

leading her on. A happy space for this

and to kind of disengage my brain and

pleaser of people to shine!

allow … if I want to paint chickens ... gonna be pink?, it’s gonna be okay and if you do pattern on pattern on pattern, it makes it more interesting.” Sarah backs this up by saying, “I’ve always liked art that was heavily patterned. Salvador Dali, all his 28 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Sarah Angle's work is available at Live An Artful Life Gallery in The Plains, VA.

Live An Artful Life ® Click

⇒ Here

Tee Shirts in 4 great colors! OWN ONE TODAY!

Tee Shirt back

30 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

Karen Rexrode Life of the Assemblage Art Gardener

ed Windy Hill Nursery Plant Farm near the small town of Aldie. Part of a fast growing Loudoun County, development was surrounding the family farm and al-

By Tom Neel

most gobbled it up. But it was really the exhausting, seven day a week schedule

True artfulness is always been about

and catalog business that was overtaking

growth. Inspired souls donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just plant the

Rexrode mentally and physically. Add in a

seed and walk away from it. They tend

gone undiagnosed bout with Lyme Disease

to it and watch it grow. Karen Rexrode is

and it was simply time to transition her-

one such inspired soul who has tended to

self.

more seeds than one

Karenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father was a

could ever imagine and

photographer and she

watched herself grow in

had been bitten by the

the process. Imagine

shutter bug too. She

how many seeds you

joined a nearby cam-

would have tended to

era club as a novice and

if you owned your own

eleven years later she

nursery for twenty five

had become an award

years. Yes, a lot. But

winning advanced pho-

there came a time in

tographer with a couple

the life of Karen Rex-

of galleries selling her

rode when other things

work and all was good,

started to sprout around

but not great. You might

her and within her and

say despite her success-

it was time for change,

es, she was still search-

time for creative growth and soul searching.

"Saint Catherine"

10 years ago this Northern Virginia mother of two, once owned and operat-

ing for her creative voice.

Now mind you, when you have the horticultural knowledge a person like Karen

Right - altered Pez dispenser "Bird Masquarade" Far right - "Puss N Boots" assemblage

32 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

has, it’s nearly impossible to not be well

saying, I didn’t know you had that in you!”

known among those who seek the green

I’m sure Audrey Jr., the man eating plant

thumb. So Karen would do speaking en-

from the Little Shop of Horrors would have

gagements and thus, was asked to do a

been proud.

lecture at Virginia Tech. She was among

One thing led to another though and

a couple of notable speakers and Kar-

Karen discovered assemblage artist Mi-

en explains, “The people I was speaking

chael deMeng whose work essentially

with were Amy Stewart,

validated and inspired a

who wrote the “Wick-

three dimensional cre-

ed Bugs Book” and

ative direction for her

“Wicked Plants Book”

fun dark side to come

and then the other was

to light. Assemblage

Paula Gross, who wrote

art dates back to the

a book called “Bizarre

1950’s and in this ap-

Botanicals”. So they

plication, it largely be-

[VT] wanted me to do

gins with found objects,

this kind of twisted take

always interesting and

on plants.” So Karen

which can help carry the

decided to title her lec-

desired narrative for a

ture “The Dark Side”.

three dimensional work

For reference she start-

of art. These pieces such

ed revisiting her youth.

as old cameras, watch

“I was like wow, I had

"Saint Celilia"

forgotten about all of

parts, metals, hardware, dolls, toys and so, so,

this! When I was a kid I watched all of

much more, can be used in many ways,

those horror flicks and vampire stuff and

especially other than that which they were

now I was taking it into the plant world

originally intended.

with weird terrariums and doll heads with

As with some of the other assemblage

plants growing out of them, and I was

artists, Karen’s art begins with a story,

like Gaa!! [great enthusiasm] People were

often fantasy, with the end result a char-

34 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

acter or theme made up of these found

fabrication process. That fabrication pro-

objects and handmade parts. This is one

cess most often happens by use of epoxy

case where a picture really is a thousand

clay, created in layers which requires dry-

words, but she’s never just glueing stuff

ing time for each layer. Saws, drills, ham-

together. The story and theme are im-

mer and Dremel tools aide creation and

portant drivers to why the assemblage

assembly. Karen also uses many types of

is taking place in the first place. I guess

glues, all which have their own character-

you could say, done well, that they real-

istics and advantages.

ly are the sum of their parts. Karen says

Once all of the the pieces are assem-

that, “The theme is of-

bled, the extensive process

ten driven more by what

of painting begins.

you find, it’s not easy.”

ginning with a white base

I mention to Karen that

coat, layers of transparent

this is the Easter egg

acrylic color are applied. As

hunt isn’t it? She re-

Karen points out, “You get

sponds, “It’s constant

a certain luminescence to

and that’s the feeding

them because the base coat

of the machine once

Be-

is white.” Many techniques

you start assemblage.

for adding color create in-

You can’t move forward

teresting effects of aging or

if you are not feeding

metallic finishes. Karen says,

the machine.” When Karen gets an idea she says she starts a box with objects that might work

“In the end it’s like 15 layers of paint on an object. Karen, in reflective thought about her

with that idea. Multiple ideas require

passion for horticulture and her art,

multiple boxes and even when the assem-

shares this, “It’s so hard to say no to one,

blage begins, multiple works of art are in

that it causes a problem in your head.”

a of process of completion. This can be

[laughter] Having heard this before from

because of an expanding idea and story,

creative types and bouncing back and

the search for a part that is needed or the

forth between painting, writing and even

photography myself, I’ve never made it a

very different art form that you don’t see

pressured choice. Rather a wonderful de-

a lot.” We couldn’t agree more.

light of choices. In sharing this with Kar-

Karen has a show coming later this year

en she agrees she’s figuring this out, but

at Art A La Carte Gallery in October titled,

follows it up by saying, “I’m one of those

“Cautionary Taies”. It’s mostly those fairy

people that gets so damn focused.”

tales where something is going to happen,

Being focused isn’t a bad thing either and it’s apparently worked for her so far. In closing, she says of assemblage art,

like Little Red Riding Hood and Alice in Wonderland. For more information about Karen and

“The cool thing about it is, if you’re skill is

her passions of horticulture and assem-

good enough and your imagination is high,

blage art, please visit her blog Studiology

you can take some pretty sundry objects

at Karenrexrode.typepad.com

and do quite a bit with them. The interesting thing on the side of that is that it’s a

"The Cowardly Lion" assemblage

36 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc

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