Interview with Karen Smith
Karen, your recent works have incorporated classical art elements with graffiti montages. What inspired you to blend these seemingly contrasting genres, and how do you navigate the challenges that arise in fusing traditional and contemporary visual languages?
I have always loved classical paintings and to bring them back to life with often the simplest of novelty tweaks. The challenge is appealing to the general public with such a niche subject, which may not appeal to everyone. I find graffiti is equally as fascinating and my interest began when visiting New York for the second time in 2014. Many of my own photographs taken from the streets have been the inspiration and backdrop to some of my early image creations.
Over the past year, as you've moved towards focusing more on your personal illustrations, how have digital tools and techniques influenced your creative process? Could you discuss any specific software or digital techniques that have transformed the way you create art?
My floral illustrations are born of my love for flowers and I only use quality acrylic paint pens. There is a certain rawness about pencil sketch before applying colour that just can’t be imitated despite many digital programmes that can imitate the style. The only digital input applied is a canvas texture effect to each completed piece.
You've mentioned a shift from working primarily in art licensing to focusing more on your own illustrations. What spurred this transition, and how has your perspective on art and its commercial aspects changed as a result?
Working for an art licensing agency requires a ‘Jack of all trades’ versatility which in turn, masks my individual style. I wanted to claim that back by creating my own illustrations and also, some digital artwork using my own colour combination to produce ‘spur of the moment’ pieces.
How do you engage with your audience, particularly online, and how has their feedback influenced the evolution of your work? Are there any memorable interactions or pieces of feedback that led to significant changes in how you approach your art?
I suppose I have been a little indulgent with my floral illustrations, not always adhering to common choices in decor. I have, however, received excellent feedback from social media about the ‘Blooms’ collection, that they are ‘cheerful and uplifting’, which is encouraging.
In an era where digital art and prints can be endlessly reproduced, what steps do you take to ensure your work remains sustainable and environmentally conscious? Are there any practices you've adopted to minimize the environmental impact of your art?
Main sales are via online outlets rather than acquiring prints for me to then to post out directly, and I know and trust that the various companies use appropriate environmentally friendly materials.
Can you describe a pivotal moment or project in the past year that has significantly influenced your development as an artist? How did this experience challenge your assumptions about your own capabilities and the art world?
The ‘Blooms’ collection has significantly enhanced my development as an artist and has helped me realise my full potential as an illustrator. It opens up many more possibilities from a ‘medium’ perspective, such that I have been studying drawing techniques to further my illustrative abilities.
Your work often pays homage to your hometown, Sheffield. How do you balance the local cultural influences with the global trends that shape the contemporary art scene? Are there elements of local significance that you aim to introduce to a broader audience?
I produced several artworks based on my hometown and then sourced places where I believed they would appeal to local people. During that time, a framed print of ‘Hendersons Jumble‘ was requested by the company itself and placed in their main office. Traditional artwork of local towns and cities will always remain popular, but artistically, I haven’t taken this any further. Art licensing, however, will always require cityscapes of New York, Paris, London etc, so there is scope for the future.
As someone who has developed a varied portfolio over the years, how do you think about the legacy and longevity of your work? Are there particular themes or ideas you hope will resonate with future generations?
My work has spanned varied developments within the art industry, and some subjects have remained popular to this day, e.g. – leaves, birds, landscape, abstract etc. I am not sure whether my art will resonate with future generations as my portfolio has already changed immeasurably during my career as an artist. AI and how it is used in the art world has already changed the way in which I work and the choice is whether to let a machine create the image rather than do it myself. I much prefer to use it for outlandish ‘not trying to be real’ imagery and leave the realism to natural ability.
Looking forward, what new themes or techniques are you excited to explore in your artwork? Are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions that you can share with us, and what can your audience expect from these new endeavors?
My next project will be an illustrative collage of autumn leaves, using associated colours and shades. I am also working on a canvas piece which is a first for me as my usual format is watercolour paper. I last exhibited a small art collection in the summer which was a viable and productive promotion, but have no upcoming events to date.
