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Karen Brockett

Artist Statement

Karen Brockett of Frazier Creek Studio

The visual world took on greater importance for me when in my twenties, due to an inherited gene, my hearing began to severely decline.  While I did take art classes in high school and dabbled with it in college, I did not think of myself as an artist or pursue it as a career.  In my thirties, when my hearing loss worsened, I began to take up art again as a creative outlet and as a way to reduce the stress that resulted from having to function in a “hearing world”.  In 2002 I decided to leave my job as a counselor and academic advisor at a community college and focus more on creating art.

In the past, my artwork was primarily in the traditional mediums of graphite, and acrylics. Then the love of fabric and sewing motivated a switch to textiles as a primary medium. In the late 90’s I began experimenting and exploring with putting textiles onto stretched canvas and incorporating other mediums such as acrylic paints, oil sticks or colored pencil onto the work. I often work with images from photographs that I have taken with a digital camera. The image is either printed onto paper, and transferred to the canvas using gel medium, or is collaged by using the gel medium to glue paper onto the canvas. Images may also be printed directly onto fabric and cut up then the pieces applied to the canvas, sometimes sewing the material together before application.

Currently I am using fiber and fabric to create more utilitarian art/craft items. These items have included coiled bowls, baskets, placemats, coasters, and now a birdhouse.  Cotton cording is hand dyed and then wrapped with fabric strips to create a pattern.  The items are shaped by sewing the cording together, often using colored threads.  Additonal color might be added before the baskets and bowls are stiffened using a special non-toxic textile medium.

I create and live in Corvallis with my husband Larry and hearing dog Cherelle. My studio is situated on three acres and is bordered by Frazier Creek. I have been a member of Oregon Crafted® since 2005. I am also a long time member of the Art Center here in Corvallis.

Visit Karen Brockett's website.