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 Hello
Galena artists come into their talents via a variety of avenues,
and Karen Stockwell is no exception. See how she has
made her way through creative writing, singing, and visual art
to become the expert jewelry and collage artisan she is today.
Karen's
"Stockwell Cottage and Garden" business features jewelry,
vases and candleholders.
In her own
words:
How would
you describe your art? Style? Mood?
As for style and mood, that depends on my mood and the
materials I’m using. I like the natural fibers, patterns and
colors in Japanese paper. And I like to use unusual materials,
like handmade beads from Uganda (rolled paper) and Afghanistan
(hand faceted quartz). I found an artist on Etsy who makes fiber
beads and use those occasionally, too. I like to think of my
art as colorful and bold, but also beautiful and sometimes delicate.
How did
you learn your craft?
I learned my collage technique from my mother, Lorraine Dilsaver,
who was a self-taught, mixed-media artist. I then applied that
technique to making jewelry using a heavy paper base as well
as collaging onto glass. I made beaded jewelry back in the '80s,
but have learned more recently from books, classes, and asking
questions at bead stores. As a visual artist, I took private
lessons as a teenager in drawing and painting, got a B.A. in
Art Education at Western Illinois University, and more studio
classes as an adult (mainly at North Shore Art League in Wilmette),
which included printmaking. I also have a M.A. In Art History
from the School of the Art Institute. I did my thesis on the
work of Manuel Alvarez Bravo, a Mexican photographer.
What
is the most original aspect of your art?
That would probably be the collage process I use on my pins
and on glass. People often say they haven’t seen anything like
it before.
How has
your art changed since you started?
It’s kind of my life’s story. I started out wanting to be a
creative writer. After a 4th-grade teacher told my parents I
had a good color sense, my mother sent me to private art lessons.
In college
I was an art major with an English minor. I began doing naturalistic
pen and ink, then pencil, than colored pencil drawings and did
my first art fair at the age of 19, with my mom. I did this
for probably close to 20 years. Then I started getting an artist
block. I ran out of ideas of what to draw. The work was detailed
and took a lot of time, so the idea had to be engaging.
 I
went back to school and got a Masters in Modern Art, Theory
and Criticism at the Art Institute of Chicago. I did it part-time
while I worked, so it took a long time to get through it. I
had hoped to get more ideas for my art, but ended up even more
blocked. So I went back to writing. I wrote poetry and did lots
of open mics in Chicago.
Then I got
interested in taking classes at the Old Town School of Folk
Music. I studied guitar, jembe drum, vocal technique. I started
writing songs and singing at open mics. I became part of a duet
called Moon Lodge. We combined poetry and music. My partner,
Shelley Miller, went on to become a solo singer and a full-time
teacher at the Old Town School of Music. She sings “Red River
Valley” on one of the Old Town CDs. She’s a generation younger
than I am. I also wrote a novel (in 4th draft) and started a
second rough draft of another. I would really like to get back
to those, but in the meantime I’m doing my current craft work
and enjoying the hands-on experience, working with color, texture,
composition. I look forward to retirement, when I hope to have
my hand in all these things, since I love doing every one of
them.
What
are some new techniques or styles you are trying or learning?
I’ve been working with wire lately and would like to learn more
about wire wrapping. I’ve also started knitting and just picked
up a book on how to knit with wire. I took a class at Sievers
School of Fiber Arts in Wisconsin last year on making silk fiber
paper. I’d like to incorporate the paper I’ve made into my work
more.
 Why
do you enjoy your artistic endeavors?
It’s self-expression. I like to be creative and then share what
I’ve done with others. It’s a way of calming myself after a
stressful week at work (I work in educational publishing). If
I’m not doing something creative, I get cranky! It’s a way of
exploring ideas, of leaving something of myself behind. I’m
a curious person who loves to try new things.
How do
you express yourself through your art?
I would say it’s through the choices I make. Much of it is design,
choosing colors and patterns that work well together, but that
may also be an unpredictable combination at the same time. I
can get very colorful! I like to use contrasting colors or textures.
Sometimes I use lowly materials, like the paper beads, with
a more expensive element like pearls.
Karen’s
handcrafted work is for sale at Hello Galena, at 121 N. Commerce
St., in Galena. Find our online map, store
hours and directions.
Photos
by Kim Becker
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