i am quite pleased to announce that beginning June 10th 

and every second saturday from 11 - 1, following that - at least through the summer,

the hip all ages art making space Make.Shift in downtown bellingham

will be hosting

Collage With Karen Workshops.

To make registration super easy

we've collaborated with pop up workshop facilitators:  aftermath collective

registration is required.

sliding scale payment is offered

bring magazines to tear and a glue stick please

see you soon!!

( as of August, due to my move - I am no longer teaching at Make.Shift)

There is this local photgraphy contest that I participated in last year. it's called the Essence Of Bellingham Photo Competition. I thought I would enter it again this year. To simplify the selection process for myself I searched through images only from January - April of 2017.  I had over 40 images that struck me in one way or another, and then selected my 10 submissions from that. The focus theme was neighborhoods. I had luckily had a few treks into the York Neighborhood that seemed to be a good fit.  Since I live in the country now I observed what brought me into the city these last months. I love the quirk, eclectic charm of Bellingham, WA

I recently submitted these three collages to a gallery's juried call for art - the theme is "Wild Cut" 

In the past I have gotten really nervous when submitting art, not sure why.

personal sabotage? intimidated? fear of the competition? 

a fellow artist once said to me... don't sweat it, just enter,don't fuss too much, and let it go. there will always be calls for art, and the worst that they can say is no. however, if they say yes - your efforts are rewarded by having exposure at a gallery. the wish of every artist.

and so, in the spirit of not over thinking it...

I entered with this artist statement: 

When I began to collage I used scissors. I believe that doing so was an assertion of control. Once comfortable in the medium I started to tear. I found that tearing offered a freedom, and an unexpected expression. Scissors lost their place. Over time my collage work became a narrative of my day to day. I was the victim of bullying this year. Coming to the other side of that experience I found I could not tear. I was compelled to use scissors. I found the exacting of scissor use very reassuring. I also found the work I produced to example an inner strength and resolve that I needed to know at the time.

How wild!

1. Golden Goddess

( I’ve got this. I’ve got my back.At my heart’s core – I am strong. You can’t mess with me)

2. In One Ear And Out The Other

( he was not having anything to do with my version of the circumstance)

3. Pending Homeless

( the consequence of all of this could land me homeless )