Karen Berman-Mulligan is a member of the CAA. She works specifically with acrylics but occasionally uses watercolor on paper.
“My favorite subject is the sea. I first work on site, quickly capturing the energy of the scene with broad brush strokes and complementary colors where the highest points of interest are for me…I find that the more familiar I am with a place, the more I see it in a new way, allowing new details to be seen. These details become my inspiration.”
CAA Q&A- CAA Asked Karen our Artist’s questions- see what she said!
-Talk a bit about your school, undergrad/graduate programs did they influence the work/interest of subject matter?
Classes taught me the importance of drawing. Advanced drawing classes demanding representation of relationships through line, opened my eyes to the strength of that language. Color theory classes fascinated me the most. That being said, I realized early on that my real interest was color relationships. “Feeling” the subject, by touch, such as immersion in the ocean, or standing on a large rock, or holding a small rock in my hand, or by sculpting the subject in clay before drawing or painting, were also very influential. Painting the same subject more than 10 times for a final project, opened my mind to the varied possibilities of experiencing and representing the same subject.
-What is your creative routine? How has your practice changed over time?
I start with a partially formed idea, and see where the painting process takes me. It is much looser than it used to be. I am much more willing to eliminate actual forms as I progress through the painting. It is a subtractive process. The energy, or sensation that I feel about a scene has become the subject.
-What work do you find most enjoyable to create?
As a former dancer, I love expressing movement. I start with the freedom of moving my feet, through my arms, and into my brush.
-What do you dislike about your artwork?
I have a tendency to work toward harmony, such as a balance of warm and cool colors. Sometimes I have too much going on in a painting
-Name three artists you’d like to be compared to.
Sterling Edwards, for his freshness, looseness, and emotional expression through his depiction of landscapes.
Paul Cezanne, for his color relationships, and his playful perspectives
Gary Giese for his seascapes that evoke atmosphere with lighting and vibrant images
-What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Follow the process. The painting you are working on has a mind of it’s own. Don’t make anything in the painting precious.
