Karen Duffy
Artist
Describe who you are and what you do.
I'm Karen, happy to say now a full-time artist! It only took me 53 years to reach this goal, but at least I have now! I was very lucky to get a stall in the Market Hall Shrewsbury 2 years ago, where I now paint and sell my work.
How and where do you work to create your art?
I work full time in my wonderful studio (wonderful, because it is so well lit, with huge windows and I have lovely work colleagues, who are all as creative as me), I use my excellent stand up, on wheels easel to create most of my oil paintings, sometimes on very large canvasses. I won an art competition a few years ago and amazingly the prize was £1,000, so I invested in this brilliant easel. It even reclines to lay canvasses out flat!
Who do you most admire artistically?
There are so many, I don't know where to begin! Gerhardt Ritcher, Claude Monet, Degas, Berthe Morisot, Kurt Jackson, Turner and I could go on and on. Studying Art History opened my eyes to so many wonderful artists!
Describe a situation that inspired you.
This has got to be visiting Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, while living in France! We used to visit this mesmerising place (me, my husband and my children) at least twice a year. It's not a massive garden, but the colours and elegance and of course Monet's own paintings on display in the house, left me speechless. There is one more place and that's the Orangerie in Paris, where eI went to see Monet's massive water lily paintings. Stupidly I only went once, while living there for 17 years!
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
This is a difficult question! I'll start with the most memorable! Out of all the people who have commented on my work, there was a man who asked me how I justified the prices! I was left speechless! My prices are quite low compared to a gallery and it turned out this man was married to a consultant at the local hospital. I was told that they live in a very large house in our local town. Once he had walked away, I spent the next few days thinking about how I would answer if ever I was asked the same thing again!! "55 years learning my trade!" I also use the best quality oil paint and spend my life observing my surroundings, oh! and I have a fine art honours degree! I also have been told that my paintings remind them of their favourite things and the colours make them very happy. My dog and cat portraits appear to have a very positive effect when the owners come to collect.
Name something you love, and why.
I love colour! Why? Because it makes me very happy! Well, to be honest so does black and white. I love nature and all its shapes and forms. I tend to look for beauty in anything and everything. Even a tiny bit of rust on an object can become a fantastic beautiful image if seen in macro! I think of anything as a painting, I think that's what.
What is your dream project?
A whole series of extra-large water lily oil paintings. I'm getting close!
Favourite or most inspirational space?
No question about it, Paris. I lived there for 17 years! It rekindled my passion for art! I was going to study art at Bartley Art College (where Hockney started out), but was persuaded to study language instead!
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Art is subjective, go with your instincts. It seems to work!
