Xchanges: Karen Gillmore, Studio 13

Karen Gillmore

Eclectic is the only word to completely describe my art. My images are often Celtic, medieval, magical, or mythical in character, woven together with the landscapes of the West Coast and living things from all over the universe. The media I use most often these days are collage, watercolour, acrylic, and printmaking, although I’ll try anything that I think will give me the effect that I see in my mind. I also like to play with my media without having a specific image in mind, mixing them together to see what will happen — if it’s good, I do it again — if not, I tear it up for a collage! I believe that this spirit of experimentation is good for what ails you, artistically or otherwise, and I like to pass this on to students when I teach workshops or classes.

My art career began in Seattle, Washington, in 1974. Among my many adventures in the art world I count ten years selling my art and jewelry at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, travelling from coast to coast on the street fair circuit, a stint as art director on a medieval village re-creation project, theatre and costume design, and a satisfying variety of illustration jobs. In 1992 I immigrated to Canada, and am now, to my great joy, a Canadian citizen.

xchanges

Studio 13: Karen Gillmore

Karen Gillmore