About Our Art...
Karen Gyllin has been interested and active in Art for all of her life, but she didn’t become a full-time Artist until she retired from teaching back in 2005. During her years of employment, she taught Art and Special Education. Karen’s educational experiences include majoring in Art at Illinois States University and the University of Illinois. Later, she enrolled in many Art Workshops and individual classes in Community Colleges in the different places where she lived. Karen has been very fortunate in being able to travel and study Art and work directly on many different types of sites. They often became the subject matter of her Art.
During her retirement, Karen has worked in painting, drawing, printmaking, and Ceramics. Her greatest interests were in pencil drawing and painting with watercolors. She has painted using a variety of watercolor styles and techniques. Much of her inspiration for painting and drawing has come from nature and scenes observed directly or recorded in photography.
This Art Exhibit is a collection of work entitled “Vacation Time”. It represents Karen’s travels and vacation trips to parks and water features around the country and in the Upper Midwest. Her work includes work that represents Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Their shorelines and beach towns were wonderful places to relax and work on paintings and drawings. Her work also includes a few local scenes and flowers from her home garden. Karen spent a great deal of time interpreting trees and the movement of water. The details, patterns, colors, and textures found in nature have really fascinated Karen. This exhibit represents several different styles and techniques that she has used in painting over the years. She has gone through periods of time using only loose and fluid materials and techniques, and times where her work was more controlled and detailed.
Today, Karen still loves to play with details, patterns, and textures. This led her to revive her love of pottery making from much earlier times. Karen is glad that she has followed her passion and used it to direct her lifestyle. She believes that Art definitely enriches life. It has help her find satisfaction, contentment, and appreciation in her own life.
Karen Gyllin's Art will be displayed at the IAA Credit Union main lobby at 808 IAA Drive, Bloomington, IL during the months of April, May, and June 2024.