Life and Work with Karen Roehl

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Roehl.

Karen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Like most artists who are asked how long they’ve been doing their art, the response is almost always the same: “All my life.” That’s my response as well. However, it did take me a while to become a professional artist. As a single parent, I needed an income, a job that paid well and fine art was (and still is) too unpredictable. I identified graphic design as an area of interest and a way to make a living in a creative field. This career served me well in many ways and turned out to be a solid foundation for fine art when I eventually turned to that years later.

When my two daughters were off on their own, I returned to school to fully commit myself to art by entering the BFA program at the University of Colorado in Denver. I was 50 and terrified. But getting my degree was one of the absolute best things I’ve ever done for myself, especially at age 50! At that age, I was clear about why I was there… focused and dedicated.

I’ve always had a good drawing hand and went into the program wanting to hone my skills so that I might emerge painting like John Singer Sargent. (Yes, that’s right, John Singer Sargent. Why not aim high?) But during the course of taking required art history classes, I became more fully aware of the Abstract Expressionists, in particular, the New York School. I was so intrigued and excited by what they were trying to do and the period during which they were trying to do it (World War II era) that I switched course and began pursuing abstract painting.

I graduated magna cum laude in 2007 and was fortunate in that I had a contact to reach out to, an established art consultant who liked what I had been working on and immediately began selling my paintings. A lot of them, all over the country. This response to my work gave me great confidence and I looked at my career as an artist as a serious endeavor, one that I believed I could pull off.

I found a studio and a couple of studio mates to share expenses and to create a little support community that I had, and greatly missed, in school. At one point, one of my studio mates asked if I could do a painting of a horse for her new home. Not wanting to turn down any opportunity, I agreed with the caveat that it would not be a traditional painting of a horse out in its natural environment because I was an abstract artist. I proposed that I somehow combine the realism of horse with an abstract ground (background) and she was willing to see what I came up with. It was a hit with both of us. I loved the combination of representational with abstract and she bought the painting. The experience launched me on a new artistic path that allowed me to use my drawing skills and combine those with abstraction, a romance I have become embedded in and one that continues to this day.

Has it been a smooth road?
Oh no way!!

Actually, my relationship and success with the art consultant that I started out with directly out of school made my entry into the art world pretty smooth. Through her, I gained confidence and very important, a sales record. A sales record is important because it justifies prices when promoting work elsewhere.

But to answer the question about what some of the struggles actually were, I would say financial is the big one. Income is unpredictable and can be sparse, especially once you divvy up proceeds with consultants and galleries, pay for materials, studio, shipping, etc. Getting your name out there is a lot of work. In order to do it, you need to attend art events and mingle, get a web site, keep it current, and do social media. It’s important to get into shows. So, you apply for those, brace yourself for a lot of rejection, and then DO the work once you get into one. There are artist statements and biographies to write, photographs of the work that need to be taken, and deadlines to keep track of. All of this is mostly admin stuff. The other challenge is keeping your creative edge and integrity throughout all the admin stuff.

My advice to those just getting started is to prepare yourself for dedication to this work. Get out there as much as you can to become a part of the art world and information, support and opportunities will appear. Do not be a flaky artist. If you want art to be your job, you have to be a professional. Take the rules and the deadlines seriously.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I do both non-objective abstract paintings (which means nothing figurative is recognizable in the work) and also a combination of figurative and abstract painting using horses as subject matter which places me among western genre artists.

I have representation with a leading Denver gallery, K Contemporary, for my abstract works, and also participate in western-genre shows, including the prestigious Coors Western Art Show that happens in conjunction with Denver’s stock show every year in January.

I’m not sure what sets me apart from others. I think I have a recognizable style in my abstract work and I certainly do in the western-genre work, being a very non-traditional western-style painter by combining the abstraction with figurative.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I don’t think I have anything unique to say about this. While society is making good strides to include marginalized groups into mainstream opportunities, there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Not feeling fully informed on how women do in all industries, I would still venture to say that there’s likely more room in the arts for women than in some other industries. Creating is more of a lone activity, and when submitting one’s creative work, the art itself is usually the first thing seen and what makes the impression, not the person presenting it. So, the arts offer a little more independence and anonymity, and for those reasons may be more open to women seeking opportunity there.

Contact Info:

• Email: karenroehl2@comcast.net
• Website: www.karenroehl.com

Image Credit:
Steve MacGregor (2 studio shots)

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