Keren Kroul - Watercolor on Paper

Keren Kroul

Name: Keren Kroul

City/State: Minneapolis, MN

Email: keren@kerenkroul.com

Website: www.kerenkroul.com

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.

Alexis Stiteler - Ceramics / Painting

Save Our Ship

Alexis Stiteler

Name: Alexis Stiteler
City/State: Minneapolis, MN
Email: alexis.stiteler@gmail.com
Website: alexislstiteler.com
MNartist.org profile: www.mnartist.org/Alexis_Stiteler
Facebook

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

I’ve always been interested in cities, so my work is focused primarily on this. I consider myself a ceramic artist and painter, and I find myself working on the components of cities in both.
In my recent series of paintings I’m looking to bridges, and then simplifying to the idea of what I imagine a bridge as being. This series is in a way very different from my past work, as it’s focusing more on the color and shapes then a deeper meaning.  In a way, they both still deal with the same idea, it’s just a different way of handling it. 

Interchangeable

"What is Art?" is certainly too big of a question to ask here, but what do you hope your audience takes away from your art? What statement do you hope to make?

The past two years has been focused on the state and structure of our United States cities. I once read (from and article I no longer remember) that our cities were only meant to last up to 40 years, in turn,  many of the inner structures have begun to crumble. I’m really interested in looking into the collapse of our modern landscape. I don’t expect people to walk away with that exact feeling, but at least a consideration of the architecture that surrounds them. Every building has a little piece of history, and I think that it’s important to recognize the amount of work that went into it all.

Interchangeable

What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 

This one’s a tough one. I’ve been given a great deal of advice in my (relatively) short lifetime. For me, the most helpful piece was just to continue working and creating no matter what.


Tell me about your work space and your creative process.

I take up a lot of space when I’m working ceramic wise, I tend to expand and take as much space as allowed. While I’m painting I occupy much less; I sit at a medium sized table in an extremely cold room, and paint layer on top of layer until the shapes and colors are right to me. I look at loads of images of architecture and maps of cities, and then choose bits and pieces to use in my work.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?
Andy Ducett (www.andyducett.com)
Keren Kroul (www.kerenkroul.com)

 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

I’m still exploring this part of Minneapolis, I’ve been here a few months and am just starting to get more comfortable with the art scene.

I mean, the obvious ones for me are the Northern Clay Center (amazing ceramic variety) and the M.I.A. has an amazing ceramics collection, both past and contemporary--and they’re both free.
Otherwise, I’m always attending shows at The Future Presence Gallery.

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?

thedrawingcenter.org :: such a cool variety of work from different artists, super easy to browse too.
schallergallery.com :: really nice selection of ceramic artists.
johnstoninthestudio.com :: Just found this one recently and really enjoy seeing other artists work spaces.

Bricks

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?

I do! I’m part of an amazing upcoming show at The Future Presence Gallery in NE called “I’m New Here” on February 23rd and 24th, 2012 from 6-11. I’m really excited about the work that we’re all putting into it, and it should be an interesting mix of ideas. There will be music and drinks too.