Gallery One Mural - Grants Pass, OR
N 42° 26.371 W 123° 19.750
10T E 472927 N 4698629
This small but colorful mural caught my eye in front of Gallery One on G Street.
Waymark Code: WMN8MH
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 01/19/2015
Views: 3
Located in front of the
Gallery One storefront is a small but very colorful and intricately painted mural by artist Karen O'Brien. I was able to locate two profiles of her. One profile comes from from her
Blog site and reads:
Mixed Media Artist and painter of soulful characters. Teacher of art who believes in playful curiosity, learning to see and trusting in the process. My art resists being classified in a particular style. It could be called Folk, Primitive or Naive Art, as I have no formal art training. I am influenced by what I call my "Urban Landscape." It is a fusion of what I see, dream and imagine. I do not plan my art, but prefer to let the paint and marks reveal what is going to happen. Blissful anticipation drives me to paint, in search of my subjects and their story. I call my finished pieces "Urban Folktales."
Her other profile comes from Gallery One's website and reads:
I am an art maker, a pathfinder. I use whatever materials it takes to begin my journey. My art evolves from unplanned marks and accidents that inform the next decision. Paint, line, collage, texture and shape help to direct me on my way. The figures in my work are unique, often with oddly distorted features and eyes that mirror their soulful, quirky nature. My finished pieces are a many layered record of my journey.
I teach art journaling techniques, mixed media and acrylic painting workshops at my studio. You can find my current classes and follow my art adventures on my blog: http://www.karenobrien.blogspot.com.
I really enjoy the whimsy and textural quality of her artwork. This mural invokes a primitive but carefully crafted cohesiveness in each character she creates. Each being is related to the other as part of a community of wildlife and people all intertwined. Her illustrations would make great children's books with a story to tell somewhere in a land far, far away.
She also has some great illustrations posted on Pinterest.