my thoughts & TED talk...The Power of Vulnerability.

I recently had a friend tag me in some college freshmen photos... if you ever wonder how much you have changed in a five years time, look back at photos. They speak volumes. I grew up not knowing who I was and did most of my growing in college. It shows. These pictures are not "embarrassing" per say in the way you would hide them from my parents, but it did show a side of me that I have been trying to forget. I wasn't very pretty, little to no confidence, I was awkward, geeky, insecure, shy... I could go on.

The reason why I bring this up is because I didn't "un-tag" myself... even though I want to, I can't pretend that wasn't who I was. I shouldn't be ashamed ( I am trying not to)... I can look in the mirror now and clearly see that I have changed; and for the better. I have confidence and have learned how to take care of myself. Those pictures show progress, SO MUCH progress. And a great reminder that I had/have some pretty great friends at my side.

What I am trying to say is, I am proud that I left the photos up there. I shouldn't be ashamed of who I was. Or who I am.

I listened to this TED talk the other day ... (by the way, did I tell you today was my last day of work? Whatever happens remember that I am making paper dolls. ) ANYWAY...I think this talk that I listened to made me brave(er).... Listen...I love it!

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

Please leave a comment :) Have a wonderful day, as always.

Editorial Work....

I recently did some editorial illustration's for a magazine called Stowaway. The top is an article about different museums around the world (not really an original image). The bottom (which is more successful) was about how we can be lost in translation when associating with other cultures. It was fun as always. I love editorial work.

Have a wonderful day.

Merry Christmas Card....

Merry Christmas everyone, I have been meaning to put this up for a few weeks but my file was corrupted and (well you know life) but all is good now... This is my Christmas mailer. Also I put this into a contest and got runner up. So that is fun.

Finals are over, and this is the part of it that I hate. The waiting. Nothing is worse than it. It is the same feeling I get when I am all dressed up and ready to go for a date, but I was ready too early. So I have to wait...wait...wait. Oh well. This is why I am not thinking about it. Have a wonderful day.

Less Boring Blog...

Ok, less boring blog, and though I like it, perhaps it is a bit distracting?

Anyway, like promised I told you I would share more of my "real life" with people...
... I cut off 10" of my hair today. It now goes to my ears at longest and goes up in the back; and it is so cute. Really it is! There is something about cutting my hair that is satisfying- it is one of the few things in life that I can change that doesn't cause too much harm. Think about it. Don't like it wear a hat, change the color, cut off 10 inches! It grows back, it heals. I also tend to be very timid about life, so to say with confidence "cut it off" was satisfying.

Well, have a good night!

Boring blog...

I have a boring blog...it is ok, we can say it. The layout is boring, the little comments here and there are fine- but I can only speak for myself. Yep, the images are pretty but that is really about it. Part of it is I have a hard time making a blog my life, but if I don't start, it really isn't too interesting is it? People don't come to a boring blog... and those of you that do follow-bless your heart!

So how do I make it interesting?....hmmm?....

Here is a shot:

I am sending out mailers this week. No, really this is a big deal! I always chicken out of it, but I am really doing it! Just in time for Christmas. My goal is one mailer a month to various publishing co.'s; lets say 25 different pub. co.'s. Small, but I need to start somewhere. I don't have the crutch anymore of blaming school. Nope. Not any more; well in 4 days. (Please, I just need to pass so I can get on with my art life)...I will finally finish my BFA show. I have an idea and I am running with it- and not dropping it this time. I am going to work on my portfolio and make it better, more professional, more uniformed. By-golly, I am getting a haircut!
...no really I am, I am leaving for it right now :)

As always, have a happy day and may your life be full of whimsical moments.

So cute... :)

First you start with a line...

First you start with a line...
Have you ever started an illustration, had to put it aside, and then came back to it a month later and wondered what you had been thinking? Well this was me yesterday, there are a few things I like, but I will be changing most of it.

For fun, I decided go through the step by step of a painting-lets see if it will turn out :)



I like the painting, but I will have to work on the type and placement still... Oh well, the end. At least for now. Have a happy day.

New Chapter...almost

I am done with all my classes in a week; a week! I am so ready to throw in the towel but I just need to go a little bit longer. Four months ago if you would have asked me I would have told you that I could have gone on forever- but I can say now (at least for now) I am done and ready to move on with my life.

As far as art goes, I have lots of ideas but never enough time. (As you may have noticed I fell a little behind on my blog.) All my energy is going into a class or my job. However I have been holding a lot of fabric between my fingers lately and making sketches for some more paper dolls. I got a hold of some vintage fabric and my mouth has been drooling. Oh what to make, oh what to make?!

I may not know where I am living in two weeks, or if I will be able to find a new job soon enough to pay my rent. But I will be sewing paper dolls!

a really cute face....

I just wanted to zoom on this part because I really liked it and I just wanted to let you all know that :)

Some more banners..

Look they have kids now...

How you make a style your own....

I think I have finally started making this style my own, thanks Zwerger.

more parenting....

I think now that I am looking at this one I am going to fix that grass...
I and my fellow co-workers have decided we love this man, he is the sweet, kind, guy that we all fall in love with over and over again... Oh the romantic inside me...

lesson for that parenting course...

Finally I am getting somewhere with those lessons, this is my tribute to Lisbeth Zwerger. I am beginning to think that I will end up going more and more digital. It is just quicker, and I enjoy the colors more.

I will keep you updated, if you haven't noticed this is the final for the thumbs down below...have a happy day!

My Two Cents...

You may or may not remember, but I had a painting that I was going to put into a show. It came to a point that I had two choices, visit home or finish my painting.

Normally it would be an easy choice; finish my painting! Of course! Now understand I live only an hour and so car ride from my family, that's it. And time after time I can find any excuse to not visit. I love my family, most do, however I was never the college student to get homesick. I have never been the one to call every few days just to "check-up", or go home "just because". I was free, why would I? Late nights in my studio making art was my happy place, and disappearing in there for days was not unheard of.

So what was the difference this time? Why was I having to decide? Without going into detail, my heart had been broken; and while this was not the first time, and I dare say not the last. I felt a longing for home. A deep desire to stay with people who- while I might have pushed them away- never left me.

And so, I made a choice, and an uncommon one. I went home, the painting was never completed. And the artist in me believed that I had given up. To not finish something once started is enough to make me cringe. It is a bad thing. Or, is it? Is it bad to let go of something you have put so much work into?

I had started a painting, and I didn't finish- but does this make me less of an artist? I was not wanted by someone I deeply loved, it just didn't work out, does this make me less of a person?

Art is not magic, you create good art because you have worked so hard to get there. Love and deep friendship is not magic, they too are created by hard work- however relationships are more difficult, in the sense you don't have full control. If you fail a painting it is only you to blame, that stroke of ink is there because you put it there. People however, are the paintbrushes that move by themselves, they can be the strokes on our canvas we call beautiful, or the blotches we want to quickly rub out.

There are paintings in our lives that will not turn out, despite our skill and knowledge. There are starting of art that will never be finished, despite all the hours put into them. We can only learn from what we have created, and try to make art that is better next time. Perhaps it is more important to know why and when to let go, rather than trying to finish everything we start.

And you will come to find out, if you haven't already, family- though they may not always understand, and you may not always agree - they are one of the few constants. And if it took me a few failed paintings and a now mending heart to realize that, it was worth it.

Quick Sketches

Here are my ideas for my lessons...

quick sketches for a lesson...

I love how the season changes what you draw! I love autumn, so much; beautiful colors, air so crisp you can bite into like an apple! Oh I love it, love it!

These thumbnails are for a course on parenting, which means super cheesy paintings; in the best way of course! I think I will use the outside one as the cover. Have a happy day!

My Two Cents...

I have found that the best way to get ones mind off of one thought is to drown their entirety into another thought; just happens to be creating and business of my art. I am almost a wild women going about it each day; constantly looking for shows to jump into, keeping my ears and eyes open for people who are looking for illustrators, researching editors and art directors. I am slow, but I vigilant.

I am not sure if anyone actually ever views this blog or my website at: http://www.karensorenson.net . I could be better at promoting myself, heaven knows I am a hard worker, but sometimes I wonder if I will make it, really. For you that do follow, thanks.

Anyway, back to my drawing, it is due this week, it is for a local museum, if I make it I will let you know.

Show

I am in a show right now called Nurture and Nature, you should all come and see my piece if you get the chance. If you are interested the show is up at BYU in the Harris Fine Arts Building, Provo, UT; 4th floor.

Friend Cover

Hello October, and hello readers! This would have been at the very first of the month- however do to a dead computer, stress, sickness and so on a so forth it waited patiently till today. It is my very first cover and it is for an international religious magazine for children. May you all be having a wonderful October day!

Star Gaze'n

Hello again, I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday! As I promised here is another batch of illustrations, these are for an online Astronomy class. Aren't they fun!

Fly'n

fly'n girl

apple?...

This is a card I made for a friend, I liked it enough that I decided to post it up.

I do tend to forget about "The Blog", so for those of you who have seen nothing for a while I am sorry. For those of you that are new, welcome. I forget mostly because I forget that other people actually look at my blog, and when they tell me they do it is a hard kick for me to get back to work. So I am repenting... again. Have a wonderful day.

Oh, P.S. below are some images I did for a reading course.

Better Things to Think About

The Study

Girl and Guy Reading

Girl Reading

I love learning new things- and working with Photoshop is one of those things that I am compelled to learning right now. My goal in this little painting was to 1) have a look and feel form a 50's advertisement and, 2) to make my photoshop paint look like "real" paint.

Here I am giving the illusion of watercolor for hair and acrylic paint for skin and ribbon. How do you think I did? I am telling you, this is pretty fun stuff! The best part is, I know I can only get better!

Here is a close-up...

1950's lady 1

So, I never EVER leave a comment on my blog- however I have decided to repent! So here we go... This is a image that I did at work today in Photoshop- and as you know I normally work with flat color and line, I decided to do something different today and use my brain just a little more. The result was this. And I was pretty proud of it; since I hardly ever work this way- and even if that were not the case- I think also I am aloud to be proud of my work. Too many artists are too hard on themselves!

This will be something (along with comments) you will see more of.

Until then, have a happy day!

-Karen

helth course cover...

I have often had people tell me that I remind them a lot of my art (or visa-versa). I dress like my women, I am always happy, I love balloons, birds, fluffy clouds, dresses....I have even been told I look like the people I draw. Whatever the connection may be, I love it that people see that! I think every artist should be so tied into their artwork and the art so tied into them, that there is no question where the other came from. For example if you are a happy person you are bound to make happy work! It is impossible (I believe) to create an emotion in your art to its fullest when you are feeling something different than that emotion. I often tell people, "If you know my art, you pretty much have a good idea who I am."

So, as you can see, this is me all rolled up into one! (Well, a lot of me, that is)....

White-Asian

I had a class this last semester at BYU, that focused on the figure. And not only was I able to draw my most favorite thing in the world (people) I was able to draw and paint them in real life! It was so much fun! What an opportunity to work form life- most of the time I just work from my head. (Not that I am anti photo, just that I am not as imaginative and a bit stagnant when I rely on a photo.) People who can use photos and still be loose have a wonderful ability that I have yet to grasp...

I call her my white asian. We joked that she was one of the women in a Indian Jones movie bored to tears!

This is done in Watercolor and indian ink.

Bridal...

I am a romantic at heart; does it show?

I call this one The Bridal. It is done with watercolor, ink, and fabric.

Fire bugs...

There is a time in a late Georgia Spring, that all the fireflies come out. It is only at twilight and it only lasts for about a week. I was able to visit a few of my good friends this spring (two other artists) when the stars alined (so to speak) and I was able to see fireflies. This illustration was made before that trip- and I am sorry to tell you that my painting has a huge error. Fireflies are not white when they glow- they are green. At least that is what they are in GA. And that is why you research before you hand in the final drawing.

So to anyone who was offended by illustrating white fireflies; I apologize.

Hogg's and Kisses....

Again, I a romantic at heart! I can't help myself. Try to stop me! Take away my pens and brushes, my ribbons and cotton dresses! I will still find a way to express myself that I see the world through roes-colored glasses...

I call this painting Hogs and Kisses. I called it that because many people think that the couple is kissing ( I was not aware of their relationship while drawing this, so that was never my intention) nevertheless the name has stuck because it has read that way to most of the people who have commented on it thus-far.

Live Study....

One Fine Day...

"needs a name..."