Karin Wagner Coron
Clouds
Cloud Series, oil on canvas
1. Your last show was about the wetlands surrounding your house/property. So clouds did not figure prominently, but you’ve always had a way with clouds in your paintings. How are you responding visually to clouds in your new work differently than in your work, say, 5 years ago?
KWC: I’m looking up, I’m not really paying much attention to the horizon line . I’m not really getting rid of it 100%. It’s there in a couple of paintings. Landscape is always about that edge. So I’m getting rid of the horizon line and looking up and realizing how complicated the clouds are.
2. How do you use photos for reference in your paintings?
KWC: That’s actually a really important part, because that’s how I get all of my material is by photographing. I don’t have the luxury of time to sit outdoors and paint. I also like driving and it’s good to see clouds while I drive. It’s also great to take a step ladder in the back of a pick-up truck and get higher than the horizon – really get up high and get a different perspective.
3. Where do you find your best clouds?
KWC: I don’t have to go very far. We’re the Midwest. We don’t have mountains, but we have clouds in sky and over land and water. What I have found, is that November is an awesome time to see clouds because of the contrast between lights and darks and the colors are little bit richer because there is less daylight and the angle of the sun is changing and the colors are more intense.
Big Sky, oil on canvas
5. How has your approach to color changed in the past 5 years?
KWC: I think, for me, I am more aware of what I am actually doing now. Whereas, I just did it before – reacted to what I was seeing – and now I have more intention with my color and I’m able to decide ahead of time what color I want to use. It used to be more experimental before and sometimes I’d get crappy results and just lay a color over the top. But now I have really good color combos that work and get better results.
6. You had a workshop with Wolf Kahn a couple of years back. How did that affect your work?
KWC: Oh, my gosh. The exercises that he gave us were very specific and very difficult. They were very challenging and it was very exciting. I was a little intimidated, because there were a lot of good people in the room. There were a lot of technically excellent (using dry pastels) people in the room, but Wolf Kahn is very loose. What I observed was he was so gentle and subtle. His hands were really dirty. He touched his work a lot and it was really intuitive. I just loved it – watching him feel the paper. There has to be something else besides what is in your head.
My husband asked him,” What is your theory on color?” And he responded,” Theory? There is no theory!” I loved that!
It made me realize that once you start working, you put all that knowledge and experience to use.
7. Describe a good day in the studio.
KWC: My perfect day in the studio is when I have all my responsibilities done and clear my schedule. I get up and see what I’ve worked on from the night before and just keep working. And before I know it, it’s noon. I get some lunch and get back to work and have no commitments the rest of the afternoon. The time goes by fast. And it doesn’t even matter if what I made was any good! But usually after a day like this, there’s something worthwhile on the easel.
Karin Coron Wagner’s ‘clouds’ is on exhibit until July 26, 2014.