artist – Karen Fred

from the sketchbook

A copy in sharpie and ink of a Vincent Van Gogh self portrait

A study of Van Gogh from 2020 sketchbook. I love the way Van Gogh uses lines, so I wanted to experiment with that. He used oil paint, but I used a sharpie and Derwent inktense paint. The note to self reads: J’ai dessiné cette image en regardant une photo d’un autoportrait de Vincent Van Gogh.Continue reading “from the sketchbook”

the futility of criticism

In childhood, I proved my bravery by watching horror movies like Nightmare on Elm Street. Settled onto the brown carpet littered with popcorn and Reese’s pieces, one arm clutching my knee like a life raft, I kept my eyes open the whole time. As we walked home in the dark, I’d chant One, two, Freddy’sContinue reading “the futility of criticism”

from the sketchbook

an image of a dog drawn in brown mascara

Try new materials! Everything is a tool for art making. I found these drawings in a sketchbook from 2018. They were drawn with an old mascara tube I found when cleaning out my makeup case. What’s the oddest thing you’ve ever used to make art?

Käthe Kollwitz study

Käthe Kollwitz is one of my favorite artists. She was born in East Prussia in 1867 and her work largely focused on social justice and concern for the poor. When I saw Kollwitz’s 1924 lithographic print Germany’s Children Are Starving! (Deustchlands Kinder hungern!) at the Dallas Museum of Art in January of 2020, it reallyContinue reading “Käthe Kollwitz study”