Interview with Caren Akers

I feel that I am very privileged being surrounded by art my entire life.  I grew up in the mid west and moved to south Florida with my family. Here I studied both photography and Business Administration where I worked as a corporate Human Resource Director for many years.  I am also very fortunate to have a daughter who is an up and coming architect.

Could you please introduce yourself and tell us how you started in the arts? and your first experience in art making?

As previously mentioned I am very fortunate being surrounded by art my entire life.  My mother is an award winning artist and we went to her art exhibitions growing up.  My father did photography.

My first experience with art was my mother trying to get me to paint.  As a child I did not have the patience or interest to do that so I rebelled against the art and studied photography throughout high school.  

How would you describe yourself and your artwork?

I believe that I express myself quite consistently in my work.  Sometimes, it is very free flowing, and other times it is lineal and structured.  As well as it is seen in the palette I choose to paint in.  One of my styles that I love was named by a patron and they called it ethereal, these are inspirational and not done very often.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I receive inspiration for my paintings from anywhere and anything.  A word can invoke something and I will do a series on it, or a color, a reflection, music.  When the inspiration comes, sometimes I have back logs of pieces or colors that I need to do in my mind and I am not able to away from that vision until it is completed, if I try to go away from that series the next painting does not come out and I have to go back and finish what was started.  

What emotions do you hope the viewers experience when looking at your art?

Emotions for the viewers are entirely their own.  I do not expect them to have the same perception as I did creating the piece.  Any emotion is a good one, whether I like it or not, after all, isn't art (beauty) in the eye of the beholder.  

When do you know that an artwork is finished ?

I feel a piece is finished when I believe that last brush stroke will ruin the piece.  But who am I to know?  I have done that last stroke and hated the piece and others fell in love with it and made the purchase.

What has been the most exciting moment in your art career so far?

I do not have a most exciting moment as I cherish all of it.  From selling a piece knowing that it is going to a new home to be cherished.  When I am accepted into a new show to exhibit my work.  Each time, I see my work published.  These each and every time is exciting.

How long does it take to produce one work?

Each piece is different in the amount of time it takes to complete.  I have had pieces that just flow out of me and they are completed within 1 day and other times, they are a week or I set it down thinking it is finished then but know it is still missing something and I will not go back to it for a year.  You just never know.

What exciting projects are you working on right now?

I am considering collaborating and doing some mixed media work - incorporating some metal into my paintings.  But at the moment, that is just beginning to formulate as ideas come to mind.

Do you have any upcoming events or exhibitions we should know about?

I am looking forward to receiving the 2020 Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art award.  This will be the second award for this honor and I am very humbled and excited to be receiving it.

Email: carens.art@gmail.com

Website: www.caren-akers.com

Instagram: @carenakers