Collection: Karen Hollingsworth

I was born in 1955 in St. Louis Missouri. My family moved frequently for my father’s work, but we eventually settled in Atlanta Georgia in 1969. As a child I was very creative. We didn’t have much money so my sisters and I had to create our own entertainment. For me it was hours drawing and I knew then that I wanted to be an artist one day. Sadly as I grew older, I realized my dream wasn’t a practical one and put it aside.

 After High School, I worked as an attendant in an institution for the mentally disabled. It introduced me to medicine which motivated me to enter nursing school and I graduated as an RN in 1980. When I turned 30 my work schedule at the hospital provided me with a great deal of free time which I used to get back into art by enrolling in a local art college.

 The early days of my art career began with the painting of still lifes. One day as I was moving furniture around my studio to set up a scene for a new composition, I happened to place a chair in front of a window. I looked at it and thought, “Now that’s a painting”! So I switched my focus and began to paint compositions using chairs with windows. Over time these evolved into paintings with open windows and a variety of landscapes outside of them. I named this series “WindowScapes”. Eventually I began to add a surreal aspect to my paintings. I brought in some whimsical elements by adding various types of wildlife, such as elephants, giraffes and crows, into these compositions. I continue to explore surrealism today in my work by combining animals interacting with other species. In these compositions the various animals are often in the act of helping one another. I named this series “Shared Reality”. 

 Currently my work has brought me back to the still life. I have started painting on black canvases, with compositions using vintage objects and animals. I call this series “Black Magic”. Objects that people have used over time become infused their humanity. When I combine a living creature with that solitary object, the combination brings that object to life. Creating something new and unique. Some of my favorite objects are paper bags, chairs, cardboard boxes, suitcases, water spigots, crayon boxes and many more. 

 I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with so many wonderful galleries throughout my career. They have made it possible for me to live out my dream of being an artist for more than 20 years, and hopefully many more years to come. I’ve been married to another artist James Neil Hollingsworth for 42 years, who shares my passion for art, vegan cooking and cats. We live and share a studio in Marietta Georgia, just outside Atlanta.

 

Artist Statement

 At heart I am a storyteller. I use the inherent beauty found in well used, everyday objects for my subject matter. These items are adorned with scratches and imperfections that give them a personality and history and set the tone for a narrative.

Including animals into my compositions creates another layer to each story. Besides being intriguing and beautiful, I think animals remind us of our most innocent selves.

In the end, I’m in love with old suitcases, wrinkled paper bags, even the tip of a well worn crayon. I hope the viewer will sense my affection for the subjects and find pleasure in my paintings.