This week’s featured artist: Kari Melen, member since 2012:
ME: I grew up in a small town in western Wisconsin where the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers meet. I had the urge to draw and paint when I was in grade school and high school. Then life got in the way and painting got pushed to the side in pursuit of other things. I continued to love art and sometimes the desire to paint would bubble up but I didn’t have the space (or time, I thought) to begin painting again. Around 2008 I began creating a space for arts and crafts in the basement of our home in Severna Park, MD. Over the next couple of years I experimented with the space, accumulated materials and the knowledge of how to use them properly. I talked with artist friends who helped me find direction when I got stuck and opened doors that I didn’t know existed. I currently work full-time as a Quality Inspector at a factory in Laurel, MD while I continue learning and making art in my free time.
Cherry Cordial by Kari Melen
MY ART: Still working to find my way, I now paint mainly in oils and watercolors. My favorite art is abstract but I am a bit shy about showing my works in that genre. I have used some of my abstract watercolors as backgrounds for mixed-media works or as parts of my “woven” projects. I have a series of bird paintings called “Cage Free” that continues to grow and inspire ideas for more projects. See my work on my blog: http://karimelen.blogspot.com
MFA & ME: I joined MFA in 2012 after hearing about it at the Annapolis Art Walk and have enjoyed meeting members and joining more and more shows. It is a real thrill for me to be part of the 2015 Artists Melange.
Spread the word about…YOU: Every week, we feature an MFA member for “Me & My Art Monday.” If you would like to be featured, please submit a photo and three paragraphs: one each about YOU, YOUR ART, and MFA & YOU totaling approximately 350 words, to meandmyart@mdfedart.org.
