Studio Blog which includes news, paintings in progress, personal statements, and any other updates about Karen Silve.
Karen Silve at the Confluence of Courage and Hope - Essay by Richard Speer
Sometimes beauty alights as gently as dewdrops on the morning grass; other times it has to climb and claw its way up a dark crevasse until against all odds it emerges into the light of day. That latter brand of tenacious, hard-won beauty is central to the origin story of Rejuvenation: My Bouquet, Karen Silve’s sumptuous and inspiring new work.
When I thought it couldn’t get worse… it did. Portland suffered from a lot of destruction downtown and nationalized riots. Then the wild fires came and Portland was under smoke for a couple of weeks. I couldn’t see my neighbor’s house and the smoke leaked into my old 1911 house. All of the sudden seeing any friends, indoor or out, was impossible. I closed off my house and stayed in one room with my studio air cleaner. A continuous claustrophobia overwhelmed me. I felt like I couldn’t breath.
Read MoreJune 2020 - COVID has changed us forever and interrupted our lives. Uncertainty is something we live with now. However, some of these changes brings us more strength.
Read MoreWith thee surgeries this year, it has been an extremely challenging year. In reflection, this painting “Savoring Moments” makes me happy and appreciate my experiences, travels and most importantly, the people who have given me great opportunities and surrounded me with hope and great memories! I’m savoring all of those memories now! This painting was inspired by all of the sights and smells while meandering through Old Town Nice, France :)
Read MoreWow, what a day! I started with a morning kayaking trip, then the afternoon took my breath away after seeing “Fabienne Verdier - Sur Les Terres de Cézanne” exhibition at the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence. Her spirit captured me. Sometimes everything in the day just falls into place, one action after another giving a sense of purpose.
Read MoreLife changes create new ideas and new work. I had a lot of life changes in 2018. These works reflect those changes. I decided to share the process I went through to develop this highly personal body of work. They will be exhibited in Washington DC at Susan Calloway Fine Art in Georgetown. Opening Reception is May 4th.
Read MoreIn France this past summer, I experienced flying in an two person airplane. When my family friend invited me up, I said “yes” without hesitation, but knew I was going to have to face my fears since I’m claustrophobic.
Facing my fears was something I was going through in my own personal life. After a break up with a life partner and living in France in which I struggled communicating, I had a weight in my gut every morning that I didn’t know how to get rid of. These insecurities slowly tore away at me. I felt beholden to my own fears.
Read MoreUpon reflecting over this past year, I feel very blessed. Thank you all for your continued support! I truly appreciate it!
Sending good wishes for this holiday season and into the new year!
Read More“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
Read MoreAfter 4 weeks of french language school then traveling to Paris, some artworks really stood out.
Read MoreA lot of young artists ask how I've made my way through this art world. I usually tell them that continuing to create regularly and to consistently market your art are the two keys.
Read MoreHere are some photos of my exhibition, Conversations, at CYNTHIA-REEVES in Walpole. The show goes through May 26th. If you are in Walpole, or close by, I hope you can stop in.
Also, I'm happy to share with you that CYNTHIA-REEVES will take three of my paintings to Art New York this weekend! It's on Pier 94, 711 12th Avenue, NY. She will be at booth ANY301. Click here for some information
Read MoreMy solo show "Conversations" opens next week on April 21st at CYNTHIA-REEVES! Take a look at the catalog. They will be installing next week! I'll send some photos after the installation.
Read More“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller, Author
Love to all of my family, friends and supporters! Thank you!
Happy Valentines Day!
Read MoreKaren Silve, Artist Talk - Beijing Trees - at the Susan Calloway Fine Art Gallery in Washington DC, May 2017.
Read MoreSusan Calloway Fine Arts is proud to present:
KAREN SILVE: BEIJING TREES
Wisdom, Strength, and Renewal
“While drawing in my accordion sketchbooks in Beijing, I realized it was the structured balance I was after; a sense of renewal built on strength and wisdom.” –Karen Silve
Read MoreTraveling and the unique experiences it brings has become my greatest artistic inspiration. I went to Beijing for the first time in the Spring of 2016. I had never been to China before and wanted to experience it with fresh eyes.
A few days into the trip, I realized I was repeatedly inspired by the thoughtfully pruned trees. The blossoming cherry trees had their own vibrant beauty. However, it wasn’t just the cherry trees, but every tree throughout the city. From the parks, temples, gardens, and along the streets, all of the trees demanded respect. Many of them were just starting to leaf out which allowed me to see the structure of the trees. Such care was taken with each tree, and the older trees were well supported. In the Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City, there was a very old tree with a huge steel frame around the trunk holding up the heavy branches. In the Botanical Gardens there was a 3,000 year old tree with it’s large branches supported by other trees which had been grown to hold them up.
Read MoreMy Paintings will be on view at the Madison Gallery! Press Release below.
Madison Gallery presents Women Painters a group exhibition featuring the work of abstract artists: Jane Booth, Mel Davis and Karen Silve. Throughout art history many women artist were encouraged to divorce art practice from female experience and self-awareness in order to succeed professionally. This shifted in the twentieth century, as women became an integral part of society and female artists found their space within male-centric art movements, most importantly, Abstract Expressionism. Abstraction became the vehicle in which gender became obsolete, as it centered on movement, color and emotion. The exhibition strives to combat the oft-repeated and false compliment unthinkingly paid to women, that genius has no sex; there may be equality of power, but in its quality and application there will be and must be, difference and distinction.
Read MoreI'm dreaming of spring! After being in sunny Mexico a couple of weeks ago, I returned back to the grey skies of Portland. But there are little growths coming out of the ground that make me happy and excited for spring.
Read MoreThe Forbidden City was such an impressive place. There were many gates, one after another, each with their own name and meaning. Walking through each gate I felt like I was entering into something more precious or secret. The last gate opened into the Imperial Gardens; a jewel at the end of the palace. There were so many unique old trees. I was taken by the respect and care given to these trees. Some of them were hundreds if not a thousand years old and had metal structures to hold up the large branches.
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