Karin Wagner Coron

June 19 – July 28, 2012

about this exhibition-

Artist’s Statement:

“My experience in looking for the perfect composition for making a painting or drawing has become more than just a ‘2 dimensional experience’. I am distracted by the sounds and activity that surround me. It is this distraction that motivated me to purchase a tape recorder and record sounds while photographing.

Through months of walking through the same areas in my own backyard wetland, and in nature preserves in Superior Township, I realized the extraordinary beauty in a wetland area. The sounds from the creatures, and the diverse ecosystem, are my artistic motivation to assemble ‘Wetlands’. Also, I want to call attention to the issues of invasive species, particularly, the impact of Phragmities Australis on our native wetland ecosystems.

As a landscape painter living in the Great Lakes Region of the United States, I find myself focusing on the natural compositions of shorelines and horizons. The breadth of visual information for painting color, light and form, whether it is wheat in mid-Michigan, or sandstone cliffs near Lake Superior, engages me. I thoroughly enjoy driving through our state and region, photographing and crafting preliminary compositions. It is a great joy for me to share my passion for landscape in my paintings and drawings.

My technique is based on drawing with oil pastels and the paintbrush. I collect compositions through photography and sketching on site. I rework compositions in the studio using oil paint, oil pastels, and colored pencils. I often use paint and brushes only if the piece is strictly about color, or large scale. When working in a smaller format, I prefer to use oil pastels and accent with oils and mediums as needed.”