C4ward March Blogathon: The Big WHY

Grateful, Acrylic on paper, by Karen Phillips

Welcome to my blog! This is the first entry for the C4ward March Blogathon. We have been asked about the big "Why" behind the creative work that we do. My initial response was "I just have to." If I don't create, I get cranky and restless. Art is an integral part of my being.

After thinking about this question of Why for a bit longer, I wrote this poem to describe my process and how I move through this world.

Dancing with the big WHY 

Dearest
I hold you close and whisper in your ear
Be
Together we travel through this existence on the road to discover what is
Love
Beloved we open our arms wide welcoming all
Experience
Let us witness together that breath of life that flows through our veins and just
Be

I am grateful to be able to create art and to share it. What are you passionate about? and Why? 

Curve & Texture Show Opening December 15th

Curve & Texture

December 15, 2013 – January 15, 2014

Please join me for the Opening of Curve & Texture at the First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta in Candler Park on Sunday, December 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

Included in the show will be works from my latest series Seeking Unity.

The First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta
470 Candler Park Dr., NE 
Atlanta, GA 30307 
404-378-5570 

I look forward to sharing my art with you.

Blogtoberfest 2013: Day 24 Contemplation

Universes among the River Birch by Karen Phillips

Contemplating the universe in this image. Do you ever think about what's beyond our universe? What other inhabitable worlds are there out there? Is there another me? Is there another you?

Blogtoberfest 2013: Day 18 Gouache It!

Red Flight, gouache on board, by Karen Phillips

This is Red Flight, a painting I did earlier this year. I wanted to try gouache on a board with some texture. I used light molding paste and gesso to create some yummy texture underneath the gouache. I had a lot of fun working this painting and learning more about gouache.

Blogtoberfest 2013: Day 15 Blast from the Past

This is an image I created towards the beginning of this year. I painted this using gouache and lots of water. Again, more circles.

What kind of symbols or shapes show up in your creative work?

Blogtoberfest 2013: Day 14 Field Trip

Mr. Cason's Vegetable Garden
Callaway Gardens

I find it relaxing and inspiring to take day trips around the Atlanta area to discover new places. Recently, my husband and I visited Callaway Gardens and saw some beautiful vistas and gardens.

As we visited the various gardens, I caught glimpses of patterns and shapes that I found intriguing and took a few pictures.

The contrast of the light colored veins and dark green foliage in these plants caught my eye.

The size contrast in these green leaves was quite nice! The overlapping oval shapes and pattern of the smaller leaves makes me want to run to my paints.

I find it's important to take time away from my studio and experience new environments that may or may not lead to inspiration for new work. How about you? What do you do to relax and/or inspire yourself?

Blogtoberfest 2013: Day 13 Circle Series - Exclusivity and Unity

This painting is the start of my Circle series that I started working on earlier this year. My inspiration for this work started with a question, "When is it ok to be exclusive?"

Seeking Unity, Acrylic on canvas by Karen Phillips

At the time, there was so much in the news about one group or another wanting to exclude another. I started thinking about why we form groups or cliques and recognized our need to feel a part of something, something that helps us feel whole. We seek to join with others, to perhaps become something more than we are as individuals.

Circle Series, Mixed Media on canvas by Karen Phillips

So I've been playing with these ideas and seeing what I can discover. This grouping of five circles has my attention for the moment. In the above painting there is some separation between the first circle and the rest of the group. Does it want to join or doesn't it? I'm not sure yet.