Karen Freedman Art Blog

WOW!

2011-10-23T18:46:00.000-04:00

WOW!

National Show of Encaustic Work

Curated by: Elena De La Ville

November 3 - December 31, 2011

Opening Reception: November 3, 2011, 5PM - 8PM

WOW! Women & Wax will feature leading artists in the field who are dedicated to the innovation of contemporary art and ideas. Artists from around the country were chosen for their innovative and contemporary use of the Encaustic medium. The exhibit provides a platform for dialogue and education, while increasing the understanding and appreciation of encaustic art.

Encaustic is one of the oldest forms of painting wherein beeswax, resin and pigment are layered and then fused to produce a luminous surface that both captures and transforms light. These artists melt, layer, scrape, and sculpt to create their individual vision in wax.

Invited artists:

Binnie Birstein

Neverne Covington

Karen Freedman

Diana González Gandolfi

Joanne Mattera

Laura Moriarty

Nancy Natale

Catherine Nash

Jane Allen Nodine

Elena De La Ville

Art Center Sarasota

707 N Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34236-4050
941-365-2032

Installation Images of Encaustic With a Textile Sensibility

2011-06-08T19:39:00.001-04:00

Installation shot of my work. Photo by Daniella Woolf

Here are images of the work of two of the 21 artists I am exhibiting with at the Kimball Art Center in Park City, Utah.

Daniella Woolf,
Top - True Grid 5166, encaustic on panel, 8 x 10 x 2 inches
Bottom - True Grid 5189, 12 x 12 x 2 inches
Photo by Daniella Woolf

Lorraine Glessner, Down 6th Street (Wires), 24" x 24", encaustic, horse and human hair, mixed media on composted and branded silk on wood. Photo by Daniella Woolf

Encaustic With a Textile Sensibility

2011-05-29T09:51:00.003-04:00

Reclamation: Earthly Pleasures and Reclamation: No More Cross Words are just two of my paintings you will see at Encaustic With A Textile Sensibility, A group show curated by Daniella Woolf at the Kimball Art Center in Park City Utah. The exhibit shows the work of 21artists from across the country who are featured in her book by same name.

Reclamation: Earthly Pleasures, 2009, encaustic on panel, 12" x 12"

Reclamation: No More Cross Words, 2008, encaustic on panel, 12" x 12"

New Work and Exhibitions

2011-05-28T14:53:00.001-04:00

Ruche 0352, 2011, encaustic on panel, 12" x 12"

Ruche 0399, 2011, encaustic on panel, 12" x 12"

Ruche 0399 is part of Rhomboid Rumba a curated post on Joanne Mattera Art Blog. The show features 34 artists who are using the diamond, rhombus or other parallelogram derivative forms in their work. It's a geometric feast for the eyes!

Ruche 0400, 2011, encaustic, oil stick on panel, 12" x 12"

Ruche 0400 was selected for the juried show Beeline at the Fifth International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, MA. Kobalt Gallery in Provincetown, June 3 - 17.

Fourth Annual Encaustic Conference - Director's Award

2010-06-28T12:46:00.005-04:00

Reclamation: Cold Laughter at Twilight, 2009, encaustic on panel, 12 x 12 inches

My painting Reclamation: Cold Laughter at Twilight won the Director's Award at the Fourth Annual Encaustic Conference at Montserrat College of Art, June 2010. The show, Best Foot Forward, displayed the work of close to 200 conferees. Click to link to an online catalogue of the exhibit compiled by Kathleen Burke, an artist and attendee.

"The 12x12-inch painting engages the most sensuous aspects of encaustic, luminosity and optical depth, within the rigor of the grid. Small, barely translucent squares of difference sizes float visually on the surface of the painting just above a gridded scrim through which you can peer into what seems like a bottomless pool of geometry."
Joanne Mattera, artist, blogger and founder and director of The Encaustic Conference

Encaustic With a Textile Sensibility

2010-05-28T11:37:00.007-04:00

Four of my paintings are among the works of 22 other artists featured in the book Encaustic With a Textile Sensibility by Daniella Woolf. It is a treat for the eyes!

Prime Time

2009-09-14T13:28:00.020-04:00

Prime installation photos of the paintings of Karen Freedman

Saturday evening was the opening reception for Prime at the James Oliver Gallery in Philadelphia. In fact this show is a prime example of a perfectly planned and executed exhibition.
Veronica Scarpellino, the new Director and Curator at JOG, selected three artists whose work, when displayed actually enhanced each other instead of competing for attention. The black and white photography of Mark Fields was a soothing oasis of structure and sensuality. The calm after my storm of color. Yi Sheng's installation sculpture was a textural complement to the smooth surfaces of the 2-dimensional work.

Parrot Tulip Cascade, © Mark Fields

Alter, © Mark Fields

Bed, 2009, © Yi Sheng

The Artful Month of September

2009-09-06T13:18:00.036-04:00

September is proving to be a wonderful month for me. In addition to moving my studio to a bigger and better location, I am featured on

R&F Paints website as September's Artist of the Month.

Reclamation: Concealed Emotions, 12" x 12" encaustic on wood panel

To round out this trilogy of events, 11 of my paintings will be in the

exhibition Prime at the James Oliver Gallery in Philadelphia.

EXHIBITION DATES: September 12 – October 11, 2009
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, September 12 from 6 – 9 p.m.

723 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Encaustic Works ‘09, sponsored by R&F Handmade Paints

2009-02-06T18:19:00.007-05:00

Repatterning, encaustic on wood panel, 12" x 12", 2008

I am honored to have my painting Repatterning selected for inclusion in Encaustic Works '09, sponsored by R&F Handmade Paints, and hosted by the Castle Gallery at the College of New Rochelle in New York. The exhibition was juried by Heather Hutchinson one of the most celebrated contemporary artists working in encaustic. I was told that this year's submissions were the greatest in number and the most competitive to date.

EXHIBITION DATES:

March 29 – June 19, 2009

OPENING RECEPTION:

Sunday, April 5 from 2 – 4 p.m.

GALLERY HOURS:

Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 12 noon – 4 p.m.

Encaustic Workshop for Beginners

2009-01-13T22:50:00.007-05:00

Learn to paint with encaustic, the ancient, non-toxic medium of beeswax-based paint. Students will be encouraged to take risks, let go of preconceived ideas, and most of all, to have fun exploring this versatile medium.

This introductory one-day course requires no experience and features basic core information; health and safety, and the fundamentals techniques of painting and fusing. The workshop will cover the following painting techniques: how to create depth and transparency, texture or ultra-smooth surfaces, image transfer, stencils, and collage.

PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
Gain the fundamental knowledge of working with encaustics in a one-on-one context.

Learn at your own pace
Focus on specific areas of interest
Learn how to integrate encaustic methods into your own studio

Details can be can be downloaded at www.karenfreedman.com.
All classes are limited to 4 participants.
Contact me to schedule private individual or group instruction.

Art Connections 5

2009-01-13T22:27:00.007-05:00

Reclamation: Almost Dusk, encaustic on panel, 10"x10"

ART CONNECTIONS 5 is a juried exhibition and sale of art to support the George Segal Gallery featuring 106 contemporary artists.

Now in its fifth year, Art Connections has grown from a regional exhibit to one of national scope and offers artists an excellent opportunity for exposure and sales of their works. I had two pieces juried in. Also notable among those participating is Lisa Pressman.

OPENING RECEPTION:
Sunday January 18, 2009 // 2:00 - 6:00 P.M.

EXHIBITION DATES:
January 15 - February 15, 2009

GALLERY HOURS:

Tuesday 10am-5pm
Wednesday 10am-5pm
Thursday 12:30-7:30pm
Friday 10am-5pm
Saturday 10am-5pm

Tangible Wax, Contemporary Works in Encaustics

2009-01-13T21:00:00.024-05:00

Reclamation: Cooling the Flames, encaustic on wood panel. 12"x12"

Reclamation: No More Cross Words, encaustic on wood panel, 12"x12"

I have five paintings in Tangible Wax, an encaustic exhibit at the Christopher Art Gallery in Chicago Heights, IL.

Curated by Eileen Goldenberg

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

Emily Clawson, San Francisco, CA

Brandy Eiger, San Francisco, CA

Fanne Fernow, Santa Cruz, CA

Karen Freedman, Philadelphia, PA

Eileen Goldenberg, San Francisco, CA

Nikkole Huss, Orland Park, IL

Ginny Krueger, Graslake, IL

Sharon Kyle Kuhn, Austin, TX

Nancy Pollock, San Rafael, CA

Kathleen Waterloo, River Forest, IL

EXHIBITION DATES

January 12 - February 5, 2009

Hours: M-Th 9 am - 3 pm: W & Th 5 pm - 7 pm

Christopher Art Gallery

Prarie State College

202 S Halsted Street, Chicago Heighta, IL 60411

Second National Encaustic Painting Conference at Montserrat College of Art

2008-06-13T17:20:00.006-04:00

On the Edge, Gallery 301, Montserrat College of Art

I returned yesterday, June 12 from a glorious week at the Second National Encaustic Painting Conference at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA. It was all art, all the time, from discussions with new friends over breakfast at the local diner, to attending demos and artist's profiles during the day. Diner may have included a different group of sole mates but the conversation always came back to art. But often the best part of the day was in the evening back at the dorm. Gathered around the kitchen table with a bottle of wine were a group of mature women artists who talked about their art with a zealousness that rivals the animated conversations of high school girls at a slumber party. There is nothing better than to be surrounded by people who get you. People who can match you passion for passion about this creative calling and whose eyes don't glaze over after ten minutes of talking about color theory. This was my little corner of heaven for one week and I'll miss it dearly.

Promo-slut

2008-05-11T22:25:00.005-04:00

I thought I'd jump right in by announcing the recent acceptance of my paintings into two juried exhibitions. Cheltenham Art Center has juried-in my painting Swing Low to their "66th Annual Awards Painting Exhibition". Pretty cool for me since I grew up, or at least came of age in Cheltenham, PA.

Swing Low, 20" x 20", encaustic on wood panel

Imagine my delight when two weeks later I received an email congratulating me on my acceptance into the Second National Encaustic Painting Conference at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA. I felt like I hit the lotto!

Reclamation: Peachy Green, 12" x 12", encaustic on wood panel

So now I will see my painting, Reclamation: Peachy Green hanging alongside the works of so many of the artists I have come to know and respect, who paint in, with, whatever, encaustic.