I'll be facilitating a 'Gilded Nature' Workshop at the SITKA Art & Ecological Center on the coast of Oregon August 31, 2017. Read on for details:
ONLINE DESCRIPTION:
Do leaves hold stories? Learn a new artform with this beautiful ancient
style/contemporary method of gilding natural deciduous leaves onto stretched
canvas. By embedding the leaves with gesso on canvas support, undercoating
with renaissance red paint, and carefully laying gold metallic gold
leaf/foil onto the canvas, it becomes a beautiful work of art. Add richness
and depth with layers of transparent acrylic wash and resin glaze. You will
leave the workshop with finished artwork. Leaves for embedding can be
gathered at Sitka, or you can bring leaves that hold your story.
ONLINE BIO:
After a lifetime of making art, Karen Tanner says she views her art as her
voice: "I begin with layering washes, showing the visual passage of time by
building depth and texture. The layering and subtracting of paint uncovers
my message. Recently I've been exploring inner life symbols. I often work
with metal foils. They represent the dueling of the spiritual/material
worlds." Retiring from a career teaching fine and graphic arts, Tanner
explored her professional art life and its direction. She emerged from this
period of self reflection a more authentic, more purposeful and ultimately
more influential artist.
ONLINE DESCRIPTION:
Do leaves hold stories? Learn a new artform with this beautiful ancient
style/contemporary method of gilding natural deciduous leaves onto stretched
canvas. By embedding the leaves with gesso on canvas support, undercoating
with renaissance red paint, and carefully laying gold metallic gold
leaf/foil onto the canvas, it becomes a beautiful work of art. Add richness
and depth with layers of transparent acrylic wash and resin glaze. You will
leave the workshop with finished artwork. Leaves for embedding can be
gathered at Sitka, or you can bring leaves that hold your story.
ONLINE BIO:
After a lifetime of making art, Karen Tanner says she views her art as her
voice: "I begin with layering washes, showing the visual passage of time by
building depth and texture. The layering and subtracting of paint uncovers
my message. Recently I've been exploring inner life symbols. I often work
with metal foils. They represent the dueling of the spiritual/material
worlds." Retiring from a career teaching fine and graphic arts, Tanner
explored her professional art life and its direction. She emerged from this
period of self reflection a more authentic, more purposeful and ultimately
more influential artist.
Billings Gazette ENJOY Article
Frame Hut Featured Artist 2016 Christmas Show
Karen Tanner jokes that she’s on a fishing kick right now.
It’s not that she’s catching them, but painting trout swirling in the Missouri and Madison rivers where she prefers to observe them. Ten of her new fish paintings will be part of the holiday art show at the Frame Hut and Gallery, opening with a reception on Nov. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. The holiday show, featuring more than 30 artists, will be up through the end of December.
Tanner will have a variety of sizes from 14-inch-by-14 inch works in her royalty series where the fish have crowns made out of fishing flies, to 30-inch-by-40 inch paintings of fish circling each other. Some pieces have elaborate frames and others are frameless to show the painted edges of the canvases.
After teaching many years in Hamilton and Seely Lake, and for the last 10 years at Senior High School, Tanner is retired and painting full time in her home studio in Billings. She and another retired Senior High teacher, Carolyn Thayer, get together at least twice a month to critique each other’s work. They also show their works together at the Frame Hut.
Frame Hut Featured Artist 2016 Christmas Show
Karen Tanner jokes that she’s on a fishing kick right now.
It’s not that she’s catching them, but painting trout swirling in the Missouri and Madison rivers where she prefers to observe them. Ten of her new fish paintings will be part of the holiday art show at the Frame Hut and Gallery, opening with a reception on Nov. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. The holiday show, featuring more than 30 artists, will be up through the end of December.
Tanner will have a variety of sizes from 14-inch-by-14 inch works in her royalty series where the fish have crowns made out of fishing flies, to 30-inch-by-40 inch paintings of fish circling each other. Some pieces have elaborate frames and others are frameless to show the painted edges of the canvases.
After teaching many years in Hamilton and Seely Lake, and for the last 10 years at Senior High School, Tanner is retired and painting full time in her home studio in Billings. She and another retired Senior High teacher, Carolyn Thayer, get together at least twice a month to critique each other’s work. They also show their works together at the Frame Hut.
Karen Tanner (with Carolyn Thayer), “Homegrown”
Through October at the Downtown Billings Association gallery
space, with a reception 5-9 p.m. Oct. 7 during the Autumn
Artwalk Artist’s website: www.karentannerart.com
Billings artist Karen Tanner joins another local artist, Carolyn
Thayer, in an exhibit of new artworks.
After a 30-year career spent teaching fine art and graphic arts in
public schools, Tanner retired in 2015 from Billings Senior High. She
took a year off to explore her life as a professional artist, and emerged
“more authentic, more purposeful.” She has come to view her art as
her voice: “I begin with layered washes on the background, building
depth and texture. This shows a visual passage of
time. Building from there, the layering and subtractng of paint reveals my message,” she writes.
Most recently, she’s been exploring water elements, “inner-life symbols,” and often works with
metal foils. “I like the way it represents the dueling
of the spiritual/material worlds.”
Tanner is a Montana native, who grew
up hunting, fishing and camping with her
family. That legacy continues to resonate in
her work. In addition to fine art, she’s a skillful
illustrator, who twice won the highly competitive Sweet Pea Festival
poster competition in Bozeman.
Her work is represented by Toucan Art
Gallery in Billings and Windy Flats Art Gallery in Nye
Through October at the Downtown Billings Association gallery
space, with a reception 5-9 p.m. Oct. 7 during the Autumn
Artwalk Artist’s website: www.karentannerart.com
Billings artist Karen Tanner joins another local artist, Carolyn
Thayer, in an exhibit of new artworks.
After a 30-year career spent teaching fine art and graphic arts in
public schools, Tanner retired in 2015 from Billings Senior High. She
took a year off to explore her life as a professional artist, and emerged
“more authentic, more purposeful.” She has come to view her art as
her voice: “I begin with layered washes on the background, building
depth and texture. This shows a visual passage of
time. Building from there, the layering and subtractng of paint reveals my message,” she writes.
Most recently, she’s been exploring water elements, “inner-life symbols,” and often works with
metal foils. “I like the way it represents the dueling
of the spiritual/material worlds.”
Tanner is a Montana native, who grew
up hunting, fishing and camping with her
family. That legacy continues to resonate in
her work. In addition to fine art, she’s a skillful
illustrator, who twice won the highly competitive Sweet Pea Festival
poster competition in Bozeman.
Her work is represented by Toucan Art
Gallery in Billings and Windy Flats Art Gallery in Nye
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Public Art in Downtown Billings
New Traffic Signal Box Wrap Installments
Billings, MT - September 12, 2016: The Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA) Public Art Committee continues the public art program to wrap traffic signal boxes with images of original works of art. The DBA is a non-profit organization that seeks to develop and revitalize downtown Billings. The Public Art Committee has a broad array of members including local artists, gallery owners, and representatives from the Billings Cultural Partners, the Billings Arts Association, High Plains Architects, and the City of Billings. The Traffic Signal Box Program is in its third year and new art has been selected to be digitally transferred to a vinyl overlay that will be professionally wrapped around traffic signal boxes in downtown Billings. Funding for the program is provided by the City of Billings Public Works Department.
A total of 16 wraps are complete including five recent installations: "Spring Melody" by Carol Welch at 4th Ave. and Broadway, "Almost Home" by Connie Dillon at 3rd Ave. and N.30th, "Billings on the Buck and Buck" by Lee Walker Gannon on 2nd Ave. and N. 32nd, "An Unfolding" by Sylvie Van Helden at N. 27th and Poly, and "The Line-up" by Brian Reed at 1st Ave. N. and N. 31st. The public can expect four more installations this year by artists Karen Tanner, Lindsey Carrell, Katrina Kinnan, and Melissa Burns.
The movement to wrap traffic signal boxes in original artwork has become popular throughout the nation and in other Montana cities such as Missoula and Bozeman as a way to enrich the cityscape and reduce graffiti. The vinyl is resistant to spray paint, markers, and the damage of adhesives.
