Work in Progress
What goes into making a piece of art? For me, I often create right out of my head with no other references. But most of the time it involves a great deal of research before putting that pencil (or Wacom pen) to paper/tablet.
I recently was commissioned to create a special portrait of a young woman in the style of a vintage WWII poster. This is a very specific style and era, and required lots of research to get myself familiar with these well-known types of posters. The next step was creating a sketch and layout that would highlight the subject as well as include other imagery that tied the piece together and brought it into the context. I’m working now on rendering a final piece and thought it would be fun to share my process. Here’s a snapshot from tonight, where you can see in the center the progress of the piece. Part of the image is still in linework with color, while the woman is midway through rendering in the painterly style. On either side are my references. It’s a lot of back and forth and cross-referencing, which can be tricky, but that’s what makes the finished piece so rewarding. It’s like baking a recipe with lots of different ingredients and see them come together in the end.
The One Hundred Hamsas Project
During a painting class at Stony Brook University on the morning of September 11, 2001, my instructor, Mel Pekarsky, offered this sentiment: “Right now there’s a lot of ugliness happening in the world. Let’s stay and make something beautiful.” As I continued painting that morning while the world shifted around me, I found comfort, grounding, and a pathway for healing and reconnection in my art.
This year has again brought intense global change, and has also separated us from loved ones and from the places and experiences that bring us joy.
The One Hundred Hamsas Project is inspired by my rekindled desire to “make something beautiful” as a way of healing and reconnecting through artistic creation.
The hamsa image, also known as the Hand of God, the Hand of Fatima, the Hand of Mary, or the Hand of the Goddess, symbolizes protection, good health, good fortune, power and strength. In Hindu and Buddhist faiths, the upright hand gesture in the image is called the Abhayamudrā, which represents protection, peace, benevolence and the dispelling of fear. The eye in the image’s center serves as protection from the evil eye or other dangers. The hamsa is a uniting, multicultural, reassuring symbol used across various cultures and faiths, and dates back to ancient Mesopotamia and Carthage.
For this project, I will paint one hundred original hamsas. They will not be for sale. Instead each unique watercolor and gouache painting will be sent to family, friends, and neighbors as a way of preserving connections and offering a hand of love, support, and a bit of beauty during these uncertain times.
-Kristen
New Decade, New Website!
Thank you for visiting my website! I’ve been meaning to update my site for quite some time. It took a global pandemic to give me the time to take to relearn WordPress and get myself into the new decade. But I’m so glad to have taken this time, because I’m so proud of the work that I’ve done recently!
2020 has been like no other year. We’ve all been tested to our limits with quarantines, uncertainty, finding time to fill, and figuring out what means the most to us in our everyday lives. It’s shown me that I still have a passion for art, and I’m very fortunate to have worked on some incredible projects throughout these challenging months.
With Big Yellow Taxi, Inc, my long-time employer, I’ve had the opportunity to create several videos for UNICEF regarding COVID-19, and how we get back to normalcy in this new world. I also had the chance to create a book for children (a lifelong dream of mine!), for Penguin Random House, called “My Big Book of Feelings”, which features over 200 illustrations of mine. This book is meant to help children find creative and imaginative ways of expressing themselves. I can’t wait until it’s in stores! Lastly, I worked with a dear friend at Ridgefield Magazine to create a cover illustration honoring the essential workers of Ridgefield CT! It’s been a busy few months but I’m so proud of what I’ve worked on.
I’m feeling so inspired this year and I’d love to keep the momentum going! If you have a project you feel I could help with, please feel free to reach out!
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