Karine Swenson
Painting, Encaustic
Drifting Off
Confidence
Again, The Sun Rises
Click images to view full screen
South of Santa Fe, NM
Statement
The main focus of these paintings is to find a way to explore color freely. By paring down the composition to simple vertical and horizontal lines and repetitive dots or dashes, exploration of color combinations could be pushed further without overwhelm. Colors are altered through their relationships with each other, both through the layering of translucent color and by proximity. The colors become a symbol of ourselves – we are altered by those around us as well as those who came before us. The repetitive nature of creating these paintings becomes a solace. The brushstrokes are laid down in a rhythmic way, mirroring the beating of a human heart or even the ticking of a clock. It is our nature to want to control our environment, and we all seek perfection, but the goal of perfection is an impossibility. The paintings are visual representations of this paradox. Imperfections are not re-painted, but embraced fully. The heat used in creation of the paintings ensures that the edges separating each color are soft and organic. There is an influence from the rounded adobe construction in the American southwest.
Bio
Karine Swenson grew up surrounded by music. Her grandmother, who was a pianist and organist, taught her and her sisters to play the piano at an early age. When she was in grade school, she began playing the violin. Her older sister played the cello, and her younger sister played the viola. Her father used to arrange music for them to play together for church.
When Swenson was 21 years old, she lost her older sister to cancer. This was a turning point in the artist’s life, and playing music became too difficult. It was then that her creative energy transitioned to visual art from music. Painting became a way to process the grief, and it has remained a sanctuary for Swenson since that time. However, music still plays a crucial role in her art practice. She always listens to music when she paints.
Swenson studied art at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD, where she graduated with a BA. She also studied sculpture and painting at UNM for one semester. Her work has been shown and collected nationally. She lives 30 minutes south of Santa Fe with her husband and their two dogs.
Media
2-D, Drawing, Painting (all materials)
