My first memory of art-making is having the job of putting colored water in various shaped bottles that sat on our family dining room windowsill.  As the sun passed by, the colors would ignite the room.  I spent hours in nature, on my horse and at the beach, collecting reeds that I wove together, making connections and sense of my interior world. 

I became fascinated with textiles, and worked with texture, layering, pattern, weaving large-scale pieces for public buildings, and eventually earned an M.F.A. from C.C.A.

As the restrictions of the loom became too frustrating, I started working with wax.  I have found a medium that feels like home.  My palette consists of a large griddle, with cans of colored, hot wax.  There is a spontaneity, a lack of control, and layers of mystery that draw me in to the painting, scraping, and finding my way through the process. 

Images that I am drawn to are from memory, from nature, and about the beauty of form, color, and connection. I discover new textures and forms by accident, as the process of diving into each piece leads to questions, and sometimes, answers.

 

Karen Meadows