Karen Logan is visual artist who loves inspiring and helping others to explore, invent and

Karen Logan

enjoy art. She has worked in galleries, schools and community settings for many years.

Her own creative passions began in childhood with drawing, making and knitting and walking in the woods… activities she continues today.

Karen has a MA in Textiles from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Karen’s Q&A

What do you like?

Finding inspiration in overheard conversations, while traveling on the underground wondering where people are going, who they are – making up my own stories.

I like how creativity/problem solving is used in everyday life by people who would not call themselves artists – a hand painted sign, a patched up door, a window propped open with a brick – mendings and fixings.

I also LOVE acrylic wool.

What don’t you like?

Unkindness. Ideas about a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of doings things – that kind of thinking is no good for creativity. Midges in Scotland. Spelling without spellcheck (I’d be lost without it).

What’s the best thing about being an artist?

A particular way of seeing the world, an ability to find inspiration anywhere. Of being able to make things, write, read, think about theory and other artists lives, the context in which they live or lived. London is such a wonderfully inspirational city for this. Looking at art has taught me about ‘others’ experiences, it opened up the world for me.

If you could have any artwork in your house, what would it be?

The Tudor Galleries in the National Portrait Gallery have always fascinated me. It would have to be the huge painting of a formidable and impressive Queen Elizabeth l called The Ditchley Portrait. But… another contender could be The Arnolfini Portrait, when I was in primary school (in the 1970‘s) we had a trip to exhibition called ‘Love and Marriage’, this painting must have struck me as I bought a postcard of it and have had a fondness for it ever since.

What’s your advice for young artists?

Go and look at art, there are many ways of being an artist so look and find what makes your heart sing, what really interests you, what gets under your skin. Then ask yourself why, what is it about these works that intrigues you? This is the path to self knowledge and you can start to play with and explore the art techniques themes used by your chosen artists.

Karen’s Work with Children’s Art School

Tricking the Eye

Warp and Weft

Amazing Objects

Celebrating Colour

Op Art Tiles 

Links

To find out more about Karen’s work visit: http://karenlogan.blogspot.co.uk/