Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Keren Kroul - Watercolor on Paper

Keren Kroul


Name: Keren Kroul
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Facebook: Keren Kroul

Bio: 
I grew up in Mexico, Israel, and Costa Rica. I have a BA in Studio Arts from Brandeis University (MA) and an MFA in Painting from the Parsons School of Design (NY). I lived in New York City and Memphis before moving to Minneapolis in 2005.


Tell me about your work. What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects? 
I am currently working on a series of large-scale watercolors titled “Charted Memories.” Inspired by places I have lived in, each piece is a visual document of memory and experience, a map of the mind. Whereas I have been exploring identity through my work for a while, this new series marks a shift towards larger scale, multi-paneled pieces and geometric abstraction.



How did you decide to become an artist?
 
In my second year of college, I did a visual arts residency at the Chautauqua School of Art (www.ciweb.org/the-art-program). For seven weeks, aside from eating and sleeping, I was in the studio. This incredibly intense and rewarding experience taught me what it means to be an artist, and I have been hooked ever since.



What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
 
1) An ongoing and disciplined studio practice, even if just a little every day, is better than sporadic bouts of creativity. 2) Process, process, process.


Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art. How do you sell your work? How do you market yourself? 
 
I focus on studio practice, and seek out exhibition opportunities and community to broaden the audience for my work.  I use my website,www.kerenkroul.com, as a marketing tool.


Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
 
Niki Havekost www.nikimade.com
Liz Miller www.lizmiller.com



If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see? 
 
On an art outing day, I typically head to the MIA (www.artsmia.org) or the Walker (www.walkerart.org), stopping by SooVAC (www.soovac.org), the Highpoint Center (www.highpointprintmaking.org) or the Center for Book Arts (www.mnbookarts.org) along the way.
 

In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise?
 
For resources: locally, www.mnartists.org; nationally, www.nyfa.org. For information: Art in America www.artinamericamagazine.com, Two Coats of Paint www.twocoatsofpaint.com, and Art News www.artnews.com.


 
Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future? 
 
Yes! All upcoming exhibits are listed on my website, www.kerenkroul.com.



Image List:
1.“Gray Matter”, 2014, watercolor on paper, 60” x 88” (eight sheets of Arches paper, 30" x 22" each.)
2.Detail, “Gray Matter”, 2014, watercolor on paper, 30” x 22”.
3.“Unquiet Mind”, 2014, watercolor on paper, 60” x 88”(eight sheets of Arches paper, 30" x 22" each.)
4.Detail, “Unquiet Mind”, 2014, watercolor on paper, 30” x 22”.
5. Image of artist.