“Peacock II” by Karen Walker
When I came across Karen Walker’s paintings I was especially drawn to the vibrant colors and the interesting patterns in her work. That was before I’d heard of alcohol ink painting which, it seems, lends itself to those very characteristics.
Although she is largely self-taught, Karen’s great-grandfather and her grandfather were both painters, so “the house was always full of paintings.” She likes subjects “that have space for abstraction and are at the same time recognizable” (like peacocks).
Karen’s background is actually Art History and she thinks “there’s a tendency to ascribe meaning to art pieces, even when it is not there. I have consciously chosen to paint pieces that have no deep meaning other than a desire to please the eye.”
“Phoebus” by Karen Walker
This echoes something painter Tom Gardner also said: “I think people are worried that there is always a message to a piece of work. Many times a work of art is just what it appears to be, nothing more, no hidden message, just a beautiful object to be enjoyed. Then again, sometimes there is!”
That reminds me of a poem I wrote and how sometimes a deer is just a deer.
Karen says her paintings sit between realism and abstraction and a very common theme when she teaches ink painting is “the cyclical relationship between spontaneity and control. . . . The magic,” she says, “comes in the combination and dynamic of the planned, hoped for and unexpected.” She teaches on-line courses and is part of a video project featuring peacocks created by 56 artists from around the world. You can watch the video here.
“Little Zebra” by Karen Walker
When asked what she’s painting for, Karen replied, “I’m not sure there is a choice . . . painting is just part of me.” That comment speaks to me as a writer. I write because I must. I believe that’s often the case for artists, regardless of medium, creating is simply part of who we are.
Technique: Peacock II, perhaps Karen’s most recognizable piece, was created with Alcohol Inks on Yupo paper (a synthetic watercolor paper). She uses a combination of masking, lifting, and directly adding ink straight from the bottles.
Click on her bird to visit her website or you can also follow Karen on Facebook.
“Purple Horse” by Karen Walker
