(Art by Karen Z. Ellis)
Beauty, strength and hope characterize this new exhibit of early and recent artwork by Karen Z. Ellis. Always enchanted by the cycles and rhythms of the natural world, her work also explores the realm of myths, dreams and legends side-by-side with the simple beauty of natural forms. For example, the legend of the Phoenix/Firebird evokes the concept of beauty from ashes.
Works in the exhibit include original hand-pulled intaglio prints, monotypes, drawings, water-media paintings and mixed-media collages. There is also a slide show of Karen’s photographs reflecting the adaptability of Nature after wildland forest fires.
Artist Statement:
An ongoing fascination with the nation of trees — including their trunks, branches, limbs, twigs, roots, seeds, bark and leaves — continues to have a hold on me. Their poetry delivers metaphors of growth, longing, choices, strength, flexibility, gratitude, patience and more. As I learn of their shapes and forms, they shape and form me. As I observe their growth, I experience personal growth. As they patiently reach, I also reach. As they are lost to forest fires, and eventually regenerate, I learn resilience. They teach me so much, including that what we do to our environment, we do to ourselves.
Artist Bio:
Education
- Northwestern University, BA
- Art Institute of Chicago
- University of Hawaii (Manoa), MFA
Design and Illustration Experience
- Sole Proprietor and Art Director of Aruna Arts since 1980
Teaching Experience
- University of Hawaii (Manoa)
- Art-in-Education
- Art Station
- Custom Workshops
- Central Oregon Community College Community Education since 2001
- Central Oregon Community College / Dept of Fine Arts and Communication / part-time since 2006
- OSU-Cascades / part-time since 2011
Collections and Exhibitions
- Local, Regional, National and International
This exhibit of early and recent work is my way of reflecting and sharing Nature’s beauty, strength and hope, as if in shards of a broken mirror.
Early work and recent work by Karen Z. Ellis
Original hand-pulled intaglio prints | Monotypes | Drawings | Water-media paintings | Mixed-media collages
Through January 31 at the Campbell Gallery in Sisters.
The Cindy and Duncan Campbell Gallery is located inside the Sisters Art Works Building, 204 W Adams Avenue in Sisters
karenzellisblog.com • karenzellis@gmail.com • sistersfolkfestival.org/campbell-gallery/current-gallery-show