Never Fear

 

Yeah, she's looking fear right in the eye, determined not to live her life in fear any longer. Of course, the only way to deal with fear is by the Word of God.  Isaiah 43:1 says- Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour

And that people, is beautiful!

New series - "FacePage"

This is a series I am currently working on with mixed media on book pages. These pages are taken from "The Passing Bells" by Phillip Rock, circa 1978. For this series, I plan on working through the whole book, 433 pages in all.

The title of each piece will be taken from words already on the page and still visible through the paint.

Also, each piece has it's own story line. The story will be what was running through my head before, during or after I painted it. Because there has to be a story.

And here are the first nine pages:

 Title: "Coming on Like the Wind"
The story: She could feel it in every breath she took. She was about to be set free from her past and all that entangled her. A change was coming on, coming on like the wind.

 Title: "Summer 1914"
The story: Best of friends, the girls would always spend their summers together.

Title: "Feminine Glow"
The story: She reached for the stars...and got one.

 Title: "Mr. Blythe"
The story: His daily commute included Starbucks. That's when he did his best thinking.

 Title: "Full of Mustard"
The story: Being high-spirited and a bit edgy, Grandpa George said she was full of mustard.

 Title: "Foxe"
The story: She painted her lips Botox Red, just to show them off.

 Title: "A Very Pretty Girl"
The story: She still loved her kiki, even after all these years.

 Title: "Burgate Hill"
The story: As she peered out over the wall, she was surprised to find the grass really was greener on the other side.

 Title: "Sacrifice"
The story: Her deepest desire was to help others. She made the sacrifice. She became a nurse.

Change is good

Meet Mr. Blythe. 

His daily commute included Starbucks. That's when he did his best thinking.

Mr. Blythe is the first in my new series "Face Page". I will be painting on pages from "The Passing Bells" by Phillip Rock, circa 1978. I plan to go through the whole book with this series, 433 pages in all. I will make the title of each piece from the words already on the page- however weird that might turn out to be. That's how Mr. Blythe got his name.

New changes on my blog- a new banner and a new name. I bought the domain name "karenkay.me" and wanted to change everything to match. I am working on a website that I hope to have going by the end of this year. Writing your own html code is no picnic.

Also new for me is an etsy shop I just opened, you can visit my new shop here. I will have at least 7 pieces listed by the end of the day. Right now Mr. Blythe is all by himself in there.

"Cradled"

"Cradled", a blind Contour drawing on wood panel. Acrylic, graphite and ink. Background is the words to Don McLean's Starry Starry Night, written out over 5 times. Can't read hardly a word of it but it's there.

Update: SOLD

Far Out

This is from one of my 3x3 faces in my "Face It 2012" collection, per Cameron's request. Cam wanted the words "far out" on it and his room has chrome furniture, so I used a 12x12 canvas and outlined in silver foiling  and punched through the canvas for silver grommet accents. He loves it.

Untitled, mixed media on paper

An inspiration from my 2,012 faces in 2012 collection. A mix of paper, text, acrylic, ink and collage. The face has a lot more color to it than shown here.

If I Could Fly

Update: This piece went on to be published in Somerset Studios Gallery magazine, Summer 2012. It's on page 112. The words are:

Yesterday a butterfly
Came floating gently through the sky.
He soared up through the atmosphere
Then drifted close enough to hear.

I said, I’d love to fly with you
And sail around the way you do.
It looks like it would be such fun
To fly up toward the summer sun.

But I have not your graceful charm
I haven’t wings, just these two arms.
I’ve been designed to walk around
My human feet must touch the ground.

Then magically he spoke to me
and told me what his wish would be.

He said, What I’d love most to do
Is walk upon God’s Earth with you
To squish it's mud between my toes
Or touch my finger to my nose.

I’d love just once to walk around
With human feet to touch the ground
But I have not two legs that swing
I haven’t arms, just these two wings.


And so we went our separate ways
In wonder and surprise
For we’d both seen God’s precious gifts
Through someones else’s eyes.

"Lines and Grids" Sketchbook Project 2011

Here it is, my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project 2011. My theme is "Lines and Grids". It will go on tour  this year and then become a permanent part of the Brooklyn Library in New York. For more info on this project and to see other sketchbooks, click on the Sketchbook Project 2011 button on the right.

Strathmore Visual Journal Page

 

Valentines Day is right around the corner so I chose a love theme and recycled some of my old art work. This is the first journal page in my new Strathmore Visual Journal (9x12 mixed media).