KAREN CRUICKSHANK
IN THE ARTIST'S WORDS
Art has always reflected the essence of who I am. Since childhood, I have been drawn to Vincent van Gogh, and today I understand why – his use of texture, color, and the intensity with which he painted triggered the subconscious genesis for my own evolution as an artist. It took me years to realize that spilling my emotions onto a canvas, as van Gogh and countless others have done, is such a beautiful and satisfying experience.
The burdens of dealing with a father struggling with the dark manifestations of Alzheimer’s unexpectedly pushed me into a space of using extreme textures and bold colors to create powerful oil paintings. Ultimately, sadness and turmoil prompted me to create a series of special works. I had typically kept certain feelings locked up, invisible to others. After one heart-wrenching conversation with my dear father increasingly possessed by psychosis, I squeezed red paint over a landscape I had been working on for days. Then I took a palette knife and dragged the tool across the canvas. I soon realized a stunning painting was revealing itself. I felt so alive, so strong. As full-time caregiver to my husband, I am similarly inspired by life’s realities to create art delving into a range of emotions. I have since come to realize that my best art comes from a place deep within when I allow burdens weighing heavily on me to become a part of the creation process. I spend time each day surrounded by my paintings, meditating and doing yoga. It gives me strength, calm, and profound appreciation for what I have created.
I consider myself a textual abstract colorist. Layers of texture, bold colors, and inspiration derived from varied locations and personal experiences are woven into my art. The relationship of colors and textures fascinates me, and I am always striving to find new pallets, new color combinations, new experiences. Sometimes my paintings are created while I am in a deeply meditative and serene state of mind, and other times they evolve through periods of intensity and emotional release. Ultimately, I believe the beauty of art is found in the connection the artist and others find through any single painting.
The burdens of dealing with a father struggling with the dark manifestations of Alzheimer’s unexpectedly pushed me into a space of using extreme textures and bold colors to create powerful oil paintings. Ultimately, sadness and turmoil prompted me to create a series of special works. I had typically kept certain feelings locked up, invisible to others. After one heart-wrenching conversation with my dear father increasingly possessed by psychosis, I squeezed red paint over a landscape I had been working on for days. Then I took a palette knife and dragged the tool across the canvas. I soon realized a stunning painting was revealing itself. I felt so alive, so strong. As full-time caregiver to my husband, I am similarly inspired by life’s realities to create art delving into a range of emotions. I have since come to realize that my best art comes from a place deep within when I allow burdens weighing heavily on me to become a part of the creation process. I spend time each day surrounded by my paintings, meditating and doing yoga. It gives me strength, calm, and profound appreciation for what I have created.
I consider myself a textual abstract colorist. Layers of texture, bold colors, and inspiration derived from varied locations and personal experiences are woven into my art. The relationship of colors and textures fascinates me, and I am always striving to find new pallets, new color combinations, new experiences. Sometimes my paintings are created while I am in a deeply meditative and serene state of mind, and other times they evolve through periods of intensity and emotional release. Ultimately, I believe the beauty of art is found in the connection the artist and others find through any single painting.
ABOUT KAREN
Karen was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1961, was awarded the Scholastic Gold Key, and earned her Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University. She was recruited by Mattel Toys as a toy designer, and later freelanced for Disney, Hasbro, Galoob and other notable companies. She taught art and art history in Portland for twenty years. Karen’s paintings have been selected in national and international juried competitions and have been sold and exhibited throughout North America. Two of her works have been displayed at the US Embassy in Bucharest, Romania for four years; another has been selected for a three-year exhibition at the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam beginning in 2019.
Artist's Website: http://www.karencruickshankart.com/
Artist's Website: http://www.karencruickshankart.com/