Summer chatting with Karen O'Bryan.
A Visual & Written Essay by Clarky Patrick.
Painter, jewelry maker, illustrator, and fine artists - Karen O'Bryan looking radiant on a hot blustery summer afternoon.
A few of Karen's new paintings.
Happy fishes.
Karen at work in her studio.
A new painting in progress.
Karen showed me around her house. This is a part of a small collection of things she has picked up during her travels. Little creatures and curiosities.
Karen's fiancée likes to collect skulls and other such creepy-ish types of items. Fun!
A sampling of Karen's extensive jewelry work.
I'd wear that. If I were a women.
More of her jewelry.
Another fun litte critter that a friend made for her.
Light in the studio.
Karen and I had a long conversation about living and working as artists. She had some wonderful thoughts. It was a total pleasure to spend the afternoon will another truly happy person.
One of the reasons I wanted to feature Karen is because I appreciate her work (& blog). I particularly love her paintings. Her work projects a light-hearted, feminine, simple, and classic type of aesthetic to me. I like her use of simple and clean lines, and her color patterns and choices. Her work feels happy.
Perhaps her work projects a sense of happy calmness because Karen is that way herself. I think it is often the case that artists naturally create things that are external representations of their internal-selves.
It's interesting because in the times I've interacted with Karen in the past she's always seemed to be in a good mood, happy, friendly, and genuinely nice. And I suppose I never thought about it very deeply until we sat down for this project that she acts that way because that is how she feels about her life. She is one of those people who is actually a deeply happy person.
Although it's sad to say I think generally speaking, we all know from our friendships and experiences in our own lives - how rare it is to interact with or know someone who is content on another level, in a deeper, more honest, and more humble way.
Karen and I talked about a lot during my visit, but perhaps the best part for me about our time together was feeling her happiness - because it exudes from her being - which made me feel better too. That's what real happiness does. It makes other people feel better. It makes the world a better place. Just like happy people - happy art makes the world a better place too.
So, Karen, thank you for your wonderful happy art and for the positive energy you spread to the world through your very existence. Merci Beaucoup!
You can purchase some of Karen's wonderful work here.
A Visual & Written Essay by Clarky Patrick.
Painter, jewelry maker, illustrator, and fine artists - Karen O'Bryan looking radiant on a hot blustery summer afternoon.
A few of Karen's new paintings.
Happy fishes.
Karen at work in her studio.
A new painting in progress.
Karen showed me around her house. This is a part of a small collection of things she has picked up during her travels. Little creatures and curiosities.
Karen's fiancée likes to collect skulls and other such creepy-ish types of items. Fun!
A sampling of Karen's extensive jewelry work.
I'd wear that. If I were a women.
More of her jewelry.
Another fun litte critter that a friend made for her.
Light in the studio.
Karen and I had a long conversation about living and working as artists. She had some wonderful thoughts. It was a total pleasure to spend the afternoon will another truly happy person.
One of the reasons I wanted to feature Karen is because I appreciate her work (& blog). I particularly love her paintings. Her work projects a light-hearted, feminine, simple, and classic type of aesthetic to me. I like her use of simple and clean lines, and her color patterns and choices. Her work feels happy.
Perhaps her work projects a sense of happy calmness because Karen is that way herself. I think it is often the case that artists naturally create things that are external representations of their internal-selves.
It's interesting because in the times I've interacted with Karen in the past she's always seemed to be in a good mood, happy, friendly, and genuinely nice. And I suppose I never thought about it very deeply until we sat down for this project that she acts that way because that is how she feels about her life. She is one of those people who is actually a deeply happy person.
Although it's sad to say I think generally speaking, we all know from our friendships and experiences in our own lives - how rare it is to interact with or know someone who is content on another level, in a deeper, more honest, and more humble way.
Karen and I talked about a lot during my visit, but perhaps the best part for me about our time together was feeling her happiness - because it exudes from her being - which made me feel better too. That's what real happiness does. It makes other people feel better. It makes the world a better place. Just like happy people - happy art makes the world a better place too.
So, Karen, thank you for your wonderful happy art and for the positive energy you spread to the world through your very existence. Merci Beaucoup!
You can purchase some of Karen's wonderful work here.