Metamorphosis: The Journey to Freedom for Carina Krehl

By Lynn Taylor

Artist Carina Krehl’s motto is “It’s a Renaissance Woman kind of thing,” and after talking with her and discussing her work, it becomes obvious that the catchphrase is a perfect fit.

A recent University of Florida visual arts graduate who recently moved to St. Petersburg, the neo-surrealist artist will be a featured artist at Gulfport’s First Friday Art Walk on October 2.

“My work subsumes mediums spanning across illustrative book writing, traditional painting and drawing, ceramics, virtual reality art, digital and logo design as well as performance,” says Krehl.

Her work draws on what she calls the core values of radical gratitude, attitude, loyalty and process.

Her latest series of oil paintings and poems is titled “Lies We Tell Ourselves: Finding Truth Beyond Insecurity.” She’s finished four paintings – with titles such as “Archetypal Figure,” “Charmeleona” and “Not Good Enough” – with two more planned to complete the series. Each painting is a self-portrait that documents her conscious awakening, which she says began in 2019, and explores what she calls “happiness blockers, subconscious falsehoods that hold no bearing.”

“This series is very much a self-examination and questions how we lie to ourselves,” she says.

Krehl has more projects in the works, including a book and a video music album. She recently contributed background work to the Black Lives Matter mural in front of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg.

Social issues are an area of interest for Krehl, who is also involved in the Roll to the Polls initiative’s weekly events leading up to the November 3 election. A documentary is also in the works.

“The documentary will encompass the mural, voting and spotlight different events and the people who are typically overlooked who have been so involved in these projects,” she says.

Krehl says she’s excited about participating in the return of Gulfport’s Art Walk and about how its theme, “Metamorphosis: Art For Hope and Healing,” fits so much of her work.

“This year of awareness led to true metamorphosis for me as an individual,” says Krehl. “Consciousness holds more power than the subconscious mind. Metamorphosis is the journey to freedom.”

For more information about Carina Krehl’s work go to carinakrehl.com.

CARINA KREHL

Charmeleona

Carina Krehl

Smoke Fear Away

Carina Krehl