Karen Henderson’s woven paintings express her interest in the connections between self, place, emotion and time. The seasons, atmospheres and the time of day intrigue her. “I try to recreate these natural occurrences, evoking emotions that I associate with them through the use of color, line, and texture,” Karen explains.
Recently, three of her pieces, which are included in the Central Vermont Medical Center show, were used on the set of the award winning movie “Black Swan.” Karen’s work has been shown in juried craft shows including the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and several exhibits. Her work is also part of several private and corporate collections and has appeared in “1000 Artisan Textiles,” The Guild Sourcebook of Residential Art #6, and in Fiberarts, Surface Design Journal, and Selvedge magazines. Currently, Karen is working on a commission piece for Banner Ironwood Medical Center in Queen Creek, Arizona.
Originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Karen Henderson now resides in Montpelier, Vermont. She studied weaving and print design in the textile design program at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Karen usually starts her weaving using natural color yarns (beige, white). The dye techniques are done once the cloth is woven and taken off of the loom. In this way, she can create her own canvas, choosing different yarns to explore textures and transparency.
“I use different dye techniques (batik, shibori, color removal, rust print) as well as sewing with my weavings and fabric pieces,” said Karen. “I draw lines by stitching with thread. Dimension is added with tucks, layers, or other manipulations of fabric. The lines suggest landscape or other aspects of nature. Most of the techniques I choose to use are very contemplative, encouraging introspection; other processes are spontaneous and unpredictable. I try to find a balance between the two approaches, trying to capture those ephemeral, fleeting moments of time.”
This intriguing exhibit was hung in the Central Vermont Medical Center hospital lobby on February 7 and will remain on display through April 1, 2011.
