Live An Artful Life Magazine Issue 9

Live An

Magazine9

®

Three Dimensional Storytellers!

Katheleen KendallSarah AngleKaren Rexrode

Artful Life

PeaceLove Studios Kim Tapper - Life Coach

Live An

MagazineArtful Life

PUBLISHER, EDITORTom [email protected]

PUBLISHER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR ANDGRAPHIC DESIGNLinda [email protected]

ADVERTISING540-253-9797

CONTRIBUTORSTom NeelAimeé O'GradyKim Tapper, Life Coach, ACC, CPCC

PHOTO CREDITSWe wish to thank the following people of the wonderful photos used in this issue.Tom NeelPeaceLove Studios

SUBMISSIONSLive An Artful Life Magazine welcomes ar-ticle submissions by email to [email protected]. Please include contact information.

COPYRIGHT 2016 Live An Artful Life Inc.All rights reserved. No portion of this pub-lication 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 IncP.O. Box 1636474 Main StreetThe Plains, VA 20198

ON THE COVER

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

®

2 | Copyright Live An Artful Life Inc All rights reserved

http://www.goblueridgetravel.com

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 medi-

um. 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 warm-

ing 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 infor-

mative website stitches your issues together!

Enjoy reading and we hope sunshine eventually warms your face wherever you may be!

Live An Artful Life,

Tom

to our readers

inside9

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

7PeaceLove

Studios

15Kathleen Kendall

The Magic Touch 20Life Coach


30Karen RexrodeLife Of The Assemblage

Art Gardener

“A Good artist has less time than ideas.” Martin Kippenberger

24Sarah Angle

Folk Artist Extraordinaire

"The Artful You Series"

THE CREATIVE CYCLEwith Tom Neel

May 19, 6:30 - 8:30While 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 de-cades as a professional artist, Tom Neel is about to hand you the keys to unlock the inner creative you!

FRAMING FOR ARTISTSwith Linda & Tom Neel

June 16, 6:30 - 8:30

Li v e An Ar t f u l L i f e®

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.

Space is LimitedCLICK HERE TO

REGISTERTODAY!

6474 Main Street, The Plains, VA

Hosted by


http://liveanartfullife.com/events




PeaceLove Studios: An alternative to

therapy and prescriptions. Using expres-

sive arts to provide healing qualities for

people who are open to

exploring their creative side.

A place for people free of

judgement to work through

their problems.

In 2009, cousins Matt Ka-

plan and Jeffrey Sparr part-

nered to open PeaceLove

Studios, an expressive arts

studio, open to all members

of the community. The first

studio was opened in Rhode

Island, with a second loca-

tion in Las Vegas which opened earlier this

year.

The story begins with Sparr, a textile

salesman, who noticed that his anxiety

related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

lessened when he painted. In a desperate

attempt to find anything that would allevi-

ate his pain, he followed the advice from

a friend and picked up some art supplies.

Over the years he honed his new found

skill so much so that an art show hosted

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

profit in just one night. Sparr wanted

others to experience what

he had and set out to cre-

ate an environment that

would encourage people

to use their creative sens-

es through expressive arts

to optimize mental health.

The men took the funds

from the show, bought art

supplies and headed to the

Children’s Intensive Treat-

ment Unit at Butler Hospital

in Rhode Island. Over the

next several months, Sparr shared his

experience with hundreds of children and

adults. He began to make a difference.

Since 2009, Kaplan and Sparr have no-

ticed that the PeaceLove Studio members

have achieved more positive outcomes

in an environment where treatment is

not prescribed but rather they are free

to express themselves however they so

choose, with no attention paid to the qual-

peacelove Studios Shines A Light on Mental Health

By Amieé O'Grady

Jeff Sparr

ity of the finished

product. “It is the

process of creating

that is important,

not what is created

in the end,” says

Kaplan.

Corporations

have taken heed of

their approach and

turned their focus

to mental wellness and are now partnering

with PeaceLove Studios to organize cor-

porate retreats and invest more in their

employees’ total health and wellness be-

yond just the physical. CVS Health is one

such partner and Michaels is the exclusive

art supplier for the studio. Thanks to sup-

port 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 popu-

lations in the greatest need of peace of

mind. After being

trained, Creators

are able to deliver

a 6-week series

that consists of

visual arts, story-

telling, sound and

movement with

the purpose of

helping individu-

als develop skills

to achieve mental wellness. Creators can

now be found in nine states throughout

the U.S. The goal of the Creators program


is to continuously engage people in mental

health and expressive arts in order to help

people lead healthier lives.

During one corporate retreat hosted by

partner Alex and Ani, an attendee un-

covered some challenging emotions. The

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

alive with passion. They had many ques-

tions about what was allowed and accept-

able and what the rules were. I had to

constantly remind them that they had the

freedom to choose whatever expressed

how they feel.

PeaceLove allowed them to be the funny

and engaging children that they are. At

the same time, it allowed for them to ex-

plore their emotions and was an outlet for

expression if they were comfortable doing

so.”

“We have created a safe space for peo-

ple to talk,” Kaplan says. PeaceLove Stu-

dios has provided the space, the materials

and the encouragement for people to ad-

dress their mental health issues and start

out on the path to wellness. PeaceLove

Studios encourages everyone to pick up a

brush or pen and explore the expressive

arts.

To learn more about PeaceLove Studios

or about becoming a Creator visit their

website at http://peacelovestudios.com/.

It's all smiles at peacelove studios creators training!

All photos courtesy of PeaceLove Studios.


http://peacelovestudios.com/

T H O M A S N E E LF I N E A R T

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

http://ThomasNeel.com

"Feathers, Petals And Sliders"

June 8 - June 26The solo show of fun, colorful, creative,

mixed media paintings by Linda Hendrickson!

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


L i v e A n A r t f u l L i f e ®G A L L E R Y

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

Painting Demo!June 11, 1 - 5 PM Show Reception!

June 12, 3 - 5PM

"Sea Joy", 12" X 12" Mixed Media

"Captain's Choice Polkdot", 24" X 24" Mixed Media

Meet, talk and watch Linda Hendrickson paint at her

upcoming demo!

http://LiveAnArtfulLife.com/events

Kathleen Kendall

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


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

the charming little cottage home and stu-

dio of Kathleen Kendall. I knock, the door

opens, she greets me and invites me in.

Kendall is soft spoken, pretty, petite, an

art school teach-

er and of course

an artist, which is

the reason for my

visit. Looking at

her and her art,

one might think

her life was one

of complete har-

mony. Instead,

it seems to have

been a journey of

reasonable adver-

sity and challenge. I only share this be-

cause it makes the things that she creates

that much more magical and personal.

Born and raised outside of Boston and

on Cape Cod, Kathleen explains of her

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

One aunt was a well known sculptor Joyce

Johnson, founder of Truro Center for the

Arts [Castle Hill] on Cape Cod and her

other aunt a painter. Her grandparents on

her mother’s side were makers of beautiful

lacquered, stenciled trays and decorative

pieces, and her mother was a watercol-

orist. Indeed her brother and cousins are

artistic as well. “So I just grew up around

art.”

Kathleen share’s that she always loved

painting and that clay was really interest-

ing to her too. Today working with both

equally she says, “I really have a hard

time deciding what

to do .. so I take

turns” [between the

two]. This seems to

be a common thread

I find in multi-media

artists. That feeling

somewhat torn be-

tween two mediums

or forms of creative

expression, as if one

medium will inter-

nally be jealous of

the other. Though Kathleen claims her

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

flowing equally to the point of it being

"The Magic Touch"

very natural for a collector to have both

her paintings and her sculpture.

Kathleen married a Vietnam vet when

she was young. They were married 15

years and one day her husband, on his

birthday, walked out the door and she

never saw him again. She explains they

were close, so she was

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

graphic design work and one can see

those skills still remain honed. But alone,

she had to do something and shares, “I

didn’t decide to go to college until I was

40”. She earned an MIS degree from VCU,

a BFA from the University of West Florida

and teacher certification from UT in Austin

and after this, she eventually moved to

Virginia. That was 12 years ago.

Today along with her art, she is an art

teacher at Irving Middle School in Fair-

fax, VA. which she says really makes her

happy and is rewarding, sighting this

age group, “You can talk to the kids like

they’re adults, … You can teach them

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

stuff while I am

there because

you are sur-

rounded by it.”

Kathleen motions me to look around the

room while showing me examples of her

loving so many different forms of art. She

enjoys still life, she loves working in pas-

tels, tempera painting, abstract, mosaic,


mix media, different things, but much of

her gallery paintings are influenced by the

Pre-Raphaelites which came from a trip to

visit an aunt many years ago that lived in

England. During that trip she went to see

the museum at the Royal Academy and

was taken by the Pre-Raphaelites paint-

ings she saw, bringing home books you

could only find there. It was obviously life

changing and the start of a new life as an

artist.

Kendall’s artistic voice speaks with a

rich timelessness

layered in

thought, humor,

playfulness, antiquity and story. Her art is

mindful and it seems to be the one thing

in her life that has been completely truth-

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

her happiness and therefore, I would say

it’s as important as her own heartbeat.

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

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

sit for 10 hours straight and paint. I forget

I’m hungry, I love to paint.”

Kathleen also loves mechanical things

and mechanical people, those who love

mechanical things. A true classic motor-

cyclist years ago, she tells me of riding

Indian and Triumph motorcycles. This was

something about her I didn’t see coming,

but that bit of fearlessness shows in her

creative process.

It’s refreshing and the

mechanical side of her shows up especial-

ly in her clay pieces, many of which have

small working or hand fabricated parts.

For her paintings, there are interesting

aspects which bring them to life. While

the painting part is done in oil, Kathleen

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 de-

sired 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.

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 ex-

plains, “My grandmother was British and

so I grew up in that story land of mythol-

ogy … and those things just tend to seep

into my work.” Kathleen loves magical

things.

"Abundance"

"Another Day in Paradise"

"Pearl"


Like her paintings, Kathleen’s sculptures

all have stories and often come with work-

ing 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. Kathleen Kendall

Small jewells from

Kathleen's bird series

http://LiveAnArtfulLife.com


How routine is your life? Do you take

the same roads, eat the same foods, and

talk to the same people pretty much ev-

ery day? If you’re like most people, the

answer is a resounding yes because we

are creatures of routines and habits. We

often thrive on

that repetition

and feel that

there is some

sense and or-

der to the world

because of our

schedules.

But if I asked

you to recollect

any of the mo-

ments in your life that were wildly fun,

fascinating, simply delicious, thrilling,

precious, or even just ones that stood

out, your answers would overwhelming-

ly come from the moments that were

unusual and off the beaten path of your

schedule. The time you and your spouse

took a spontaneous road trip to nowhere

special. That four-hour dinner you lin-

gered over, tasting every morsel. The

vacation you took with your best buds

that you still laugh about every time you

think of it. That stranger you started a

conversation with not really knowing why

but feeling compelled to talk to.

It is critical

to our growth

to break our

routines. Neu-

rologically

speaking we

now know

that the brain

is malleable

and can con-

tinue to grow

and develop new neural pathways long

after it was once thought but the key to

that growth is learning and doing things

that are new. Similar is true in business

– the cutting edge and most successful

companies are the ones that continue to

Life CoachBy Kim Tapper

Finding The Unusual in Everyday Life


push the edges of their work and antici-

pate new trends and shifts in culture and

economy. Inventors live on that edge

too, constantly creating bridges for us

between what was once and what will be.

Psychologically, the only way we change

our lives is to change our personal hab-

its, mindsets and actions. You want to

free yourself from anger or shame? You

do the work to discover its roots and

you create new ways of thinking about

those things, new habits to help you re-

lease those unwanted negative beliefs

and replace them with positive, healthier

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 con-

nect to students who might need a differ-

ent 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, break-

ing your routines does not have to mean

a spontaneous mid-life-crisis kind of ad-

venture every night. Nor do you have to

throw out your entire routine and cause

harm and wreak havoc on your lives, jobs

and families. You can introduce simple,

little things into your daily or weekly lives

and elicit great results. Eleanor Roos-

evelt is quoted as having said, “Do one

thing every day that scares you.” That

would surely shake up your world! But

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

don’t want to. Here are ten super simple

suggestions of ways to bring a little more

adventure, tap into the unusual and grow

your life:

1. Drive home a different way and

take in the new scenic view – add to this

by putting on some music you don’t often

“Behind The Label”By Kim Tapper

Available online at A Place to Beand Mascot Books

http://www.aplacetobeva.org/reviews.php

http://mascotbooks.com/mascot-marketplace/buy-books/childrens-books/a-place-to-be-behind-the-label/

listen to and create a whole soundscape

to this experience

2. Try one different food you’ve

never tasted or order a new meal at your

favorite restaurant instead of getting the

same thing as always

3. Wear a color you don’t normally

wear (even if it’s your underwear and no

one sees it!)

4. Buy flowers for your home or for

someone you care about – just because

- and while you’re buying them, take an

extra few moments to really notice the

many varieties of shapes and colors…what

extraordinary gifts of nature!

5. Go to a lecture or concert, may-

be something free at the local library

or art gallery. Or listen to a TEDtalk or

watch a documentary on something you

never wouldn’t ordinarily stop to learn

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

bed. Why not?

9. Change the order of your morn-

ing routine – maybe you eat breakfast

before you shower today. Just to shake

things up!

10. Talk to someone new today –

anyone! – at work or in your community

and open up to the many different people

all around you

Whether it’s an intellectual pursuit, so-

cial connection, or sensory experience,

doing something unusual and out of your

normal routine can help open up different

facets of your life. Make the most out of

your life by seeing things as new, experi-

encing things uniquely, opening to things

out of your comfort zone, and slowing

down time by breaking up your routine.

Time moves quickly no doubt. Slow down

by making the moments count.

Read more Life Coach articles by Kim Tapper in the back issues of

Live An Artful Life Magazine


http://LiveAnArtfulLifeMagazine.com

WWW.A P LA CETOBEVA.ORG

Years of Helping people face, navigate, and overcome life’s challenges

using the Therapeutic Arts.

Lunch Bunch

Immersion Program

Individual Sessions

Social Groups

Same Sky

Project

(540) 687-6740

Summer Camps

http://aplacetobeva.org

Sarah Angle may describe herself as shy,

but her genuine smile, hospitable open-

ness, and gifted sense of humor indicate

otherwise. This self proclaimed people

pleaser is a relaxed country girl, who

takes life as it comes,

while wrapping it all

up with a tongue and

cheek bow. Angle’s art

is a magical reflection

of someone with a built

in internal chuckle and

the talent to creatively

deliver that fun to us.

Originally from Rocky

Mt., Virginia, now living

near Richmond, Sar-

ah and her sister were

raised by their grand-

parents. Sarah loved

art and always took

art classes in school.

Her grandmother also gave them pock-

et knives as children, which for Sarah

became the gateway to whittling, a fun

word for wood carving. Tree branches and

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

child’s imagination and it went from there.

“My Grandmother did a lot of refinishing

furniture”, Sarah shares, so she also had

access to tools and it seems the true free-

dom to learn. “We had

a wonderful childhood,

couldn’t have asked for

a better life.” As much

as anything it would

seem that Sarah was

given that “you can

do anything” skill set.

Hopefully not a rarity

today.

Time passed, Sar-

ah married her hus-

band Don and had her

daughter and those

childhood skills re-

turned as she started

making crafts. She

only took one carving class and Sarah

says, “Really, the only thing I learned

was how to sharpen the tools. But that is

really one of the most important things.

SARAH ANGLE Folk Artist Extraordinaire!

By Tom Neel


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

Top left and middle - "Ka-leidoscope"Bottom - "Summer on The Farm"

All of Sarah's bowls and trays Receive five coats of a food safe varnish.


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

yourself because you’re going to press too

hard and slip.” Good lesson learned.

There are those things learned and then

there are those natural abilities. In Sarah

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

even dare I say, in the face of some real

personal adversity. But the whimsey in

her work is so strong, I often think people

see it way before her unarguable creative

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

is a joyous toy box. Yet her presenta-

tion of it to us, is delivered with complex

designs, brilliant color choices and in the

case of her carved pieces, true interpre-

tive thought and dimension.

Sarah is as good a painter as she is a

carver and vice versa, but for me, her

design work stands alone. She tells me

the design part of the process is the hard-

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

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

I’ve allowed myself to not be so critical

and to kind of disengage my brain and

allow … if I want to paint chickens ... gon-

na 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

little people in there, and I liked Mary En-

gelbreit and all her design, on design, on

design.” She also gives credit to color by

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

some colors continuously, just like in dec-

orating, if you repeat them again, you can

make the patterns as odd or disconnected

as you want as long as you’re repeating

color.” All great design words of wisdom!

Sarah’s paint medium is acrylic, with col-

or usually going over a black base which

she allows to show through, creating what

she describes as a dark cartoon line. The

designs are laid out with a water soluble

pencil and if she’s not satisfied she just

washes it off and starts again.

Sarah’s work space is split between a

studio upstairs in her home and a work

shop in the basement. Tools of her trade

are abundant and her studio is filled with

the whimsy reflected in her work. It’s like

a fun supporting cast of characters cheer-

leading her on. A happy space for this

pleaser of people to shine!

Sarah Angle's work is available at Live

An Artful Life Gallery in The Plains, VA.




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OWN ONE TODAY!

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True artfulness is always been about

growth. Inspired souls don’t just plant the

seed and walk away from it. They tend

to it and watch it grow. Karen Rexrode is

one such inspired soul who has tended to

more seeds than one

could ever imagine and

watched herself grow in

the process. Imagine

how many seeds you

would have tended to

if you owned your own

nursery for twenty five

years. Yes, a lot. But

there came a time in

the life of Karen Rex-

rode when other things

started to sprout around

her and within her and

it was time for change,

time for creative growth

and soul searching.

10 years ago this Northern Virginia

mother of two, once owned and operat-

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-

most gobbled it up. But it was really the

exhausting, seven day a week schedule

and catalog business that was overtaking

Rexrode mentally and physically. Add in a

gone undiagnosed bout with Lyme Disease

and it was simply time to transition her-

self.

Karen’s father was a

photographer and she

had been bitten by the

shutter bug too. She

joined a nearby cam-

era club as a novice and

eleven years later she

had become an award

winning advanced pho-

tographer with a couple

of galleries selling her

work and all was good,

but not great. You might

say despite her success-

es, she was still search-

ing for her creative

voice.

Now mind you, when you have the hor-

ticultural knowledge a person like Karen

Karen RexrodeLife of the Assemblage Art Gardener

By Tom Neel

"Saint Catherine"

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


has, it’s nearly impossible to not be well

known among those who seek the green

thumb. So Karen would do speaking en-

gagements and thus, was asked to do a

lecture at Virginia Tech. She was among

a couple of notable speakers and Kar-

en explains, “The people I was speaking

with were Amy Stewart,

who wrote the “Wick-

ed Bugs Book” and

“Wicked Plants Book”

and then the other was

Paula Gross, who wrote

a book called “Bizarre

Botanicals”. So they

[VT] wanted me to do

this kind of twisted take

on plants.” So Karen

decided to title her lec-

ture “The Dark Side”.

For reference she start-

ed revisiting her youth.

“I was like wow, I had

forgotten about all of

this! When I was a kid I watched all of

those horror flicks and vampire stuff and

now I was taking it into the plant world

with weird terrariums and doll heads with

plants growing out of them, and I was

like Gaa!! [great enthusiasm] People were

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

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

from the Little Shop of Horrors would have

been proud.

One thing led to another though and

Karen discovered assemblage artist Mi-

chael deMeng whose work essentially

validated and inspired a

three dimensional cre-

ative direction for her

fun dark side to come

to light. Assemblage

art dates back to the

1950’s and in this ap-

plication, it largely be-

gins with found objects,

always interesting and

which can help carry the

desired narrative for a

three dimensional work

of art. These pieces such

as old cameras, watch

parts, metals, hardware,

dolls, toys and so, so,

much more, can be used in many ways,

especially other than that which they were

originally intended.

As with some of the other assemblage

artists, Karen’s art begins with a story,

often fantasy, with the end result a char-

"Saint Celilia"


acter or theme made up of these found

objects and handmade parts. This is one

case where a picture really is a thousand

words, but she’s never just glueing stuff

together. The story and theme are im-

portant drivers to why the assemblage

is taking place in the first place. I guess

you could say, done well, that they real-

ly are the sum of their parts. Karen says

that, “The theme is of-

ten driven more by what

you find, it’s not easy.”

I mention to Karen that

this is the Easter egg

hunt isn’t it? She re-

sponds, “It’s constant

and that’s the feeding

of the machine once

you start assemblage.

You can’t move forward

if you are not feeding

the machine.”

When Karen gets an idea she says she

starts a box with objects that might work

with that idea. Multiple ideas require

multiple boxes and even when the assem-

blage begins, multiple works of art are in

a of process of completion. This can be

because of an expanding idea and story,

the search for a part that is needed or the

fabrication process. That fabrication pro-

cess most often happens by use of epoxy

clay, created in layers which requires dry-

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

mer and Dremel tools aide creation and

assembly. Karen also uses many types of

glues, all which have their own character-

istics and advantages.

Once all of the the pieces are assem-

bled, the extensive process

of painting begins. Be-

ginning with a white base

coat, layers of transparent

acrylic color are applied. As

Karen points out, “You get

a certain luminescence to

them because the base coat

is white.” Many techniques

for adding color create in-

teresting effects of aging or

metallic finishes. Karen says,

“In the end it’s like 15 layers of paint on

an object.

Karen, in reflective thought about her

passion for horticulture and her art,

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

that it causes a problem in your head.”

[laughter] Having heard this before from

creative types and bouncing back and

forth between painting, writing and even

photography myself, I’ve never made it a

pressured choice. Rather a wonderful de-

light of choices. In sharing this with Kar-

en she agrees she’s figuring this out, but

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

people that gets so damn focused.”

Being focused isn’t a bad thing either

and it’s apparently worked for her so far.

In closing, she says of assemblage art,

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

good enough and your imagination is high,

you can take some pretty sundry objects

and do quite a bit with them. The interest-

ing thing on the side of that is that it’s a

very different art form that you don’t see

a lot.” We couldn’t agree more.

Karen has a show coming later this year

at Art A La Carte Gallery in October titled,

“Cautionary Taies”. It’s mostly those fairy

tales where something is going to happen,

like Little Red Riding Hood and Alice in

Wonderland.

For more information about Karen and

her passions of horticulture and assem-

blage art, please visit her blog Studiology

at Karenrexrode.typepad.com

"The Cowardly Lion"assemblage


http://ArtALaCarteGallery.com

http://Karenrexrode.typepad.com

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Live An Artful Life Magazine Issue 9

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