Review of the year with Felting Artist Karen Price

Karen Price works with merino wool tops and other fibres which she needle felts to create mixed media paintings. Her subject matter is usually landscape but she is also known to make paintings of animals and birds, all influenced by the beautiful Highland of Scotland where Karen lives. Karen is a very talented felting artist, and the medium brings a sense both of the rugged beauty of the subjects that she depicts, as well as something comforting. Karen only began working in this unusual media in January 2013 having previously worked in acrylics. We asked her for her review of the year.

The gallery shows high quality work from local artists as well as those from further afield and to be able to show my work alongside well known artists is a massive thrill for me and has given me confidence in my own work!

Lisa: What highlights have you experienced in your own art studio in 2013?

Karen: I work on a part time basis from my home, my husband has made me a great work station on the top landing.  This gives me a great area that is light, airy and warm and gives me plenty of space to house my growing collection of fibres.

The highlight for 2013 came right at the very beginning of the year.

I had previously painted in acrylics and had, had some success with this medium, however when I was introduced to felting through a work colleague at the end of 2012, I was inspired to ask for a dry felt starter kit for my Christmas.  Early in 2013 I had a go and right from my first picture I was addicted!

I saw results that I had tried hard to achieve using acrylic paint but never quite managed to get.  The feedback I received on Facebook when I posted photos of my pictures was great and the very first finished piece sold almost immediately.

So changing medium and discovering needle felting was definitely my highlight!

Lisa: What art related new year’s resolutions will you make?

Karen: Being a busy working mum my biggest problem is always time.  I feel myself panicking inside when I haven’t been able to felt for a few days!  Sometimes a week goes by and I haven’t managed to get any done due to work and family commitments, my two boys are getting older but still need their mum and are my number one priority so my new year resolution is to keep fitting in felting whenever possible, working towards the hope that one day I will be able to give up my day job and be free to felt all day when the kids are at school!

Lisa: What valuable lesson did you learn about making art in 2013?

Karen: I learned not to get too bogged down with detail as when I do my pictures don’t turn out the way I imagine.  If I relax and think about colours and textures rather than getting fine details right things tend to happen naturally and the finished result is much more what I imagine it to be.

I also learned not to be afraid to ask people to look at what I do.  If I had not sent messages and images to the Beauly Gallery then I would not have my work in there.  The same goes for my first stand-alone exhibition which will be in February 2014 in Eden Court Theatre in Inverness, If I had not put my work forward to them they would not have had a way of seeing it.  You can’t expect to be found if you’re not out there showing yourself.

Lisa: What art materials are on your Christmas wishlist?

Karen: On my Christmas list this year are picture frames.  I like to have a good stock as often ideas come from the shape of a frame. I will also be asking for more fine merino wool tops and various fibres, as a girl can never have too many!

More of Karen Price’s work can be seen on her website: http://kprice1975.wix.com/kpriceart