“The Warm and Cool of it” is an art exhibition featuring the work of Maplewood artist Karen Caldwell which will remain on view through February 17, 2019 in the Atrium Gallery at the Bloomington Center for the Arts in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Artist Karen Caldwell sought to better understand warm and cool color theory by breaking the color wheel down to its basics, studying the color palettes of the masters, and mixing up her own color recipes. “When I paint now, I see the color wheel in my mind’s eye and know which way I need to go to alter a color.”
By mastering the principles of color theory, as well as studying the physical properties of light, Caldwell is able to have better control over shading and values while maintaining the chroma. All of this study has been put into practice with a series that embody her love for water and the human form. While visiting Grand Marais, Minnesota, Caldwell photographed a few brave friends as they waded into Lake Superior. These photographs later because the basis for her series devoted to compositions that study light as well as warm and cool colors.
About
A native of Minnesota, Karen Caldwell attended the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. She then graduated with an Associate’s Degree in ceramics from Glendale Community College, Arizona. While living in Toronto, Canada, she earned a BFA from York University with a major in painting (and an accounting minor).
Her paintings and ceramics have been collected in: Denmark, England, Canada, and the U.S. Awards and commissions include: Durand Wisconsin Plein Air, Honorable Mention: oil painting, Minnesota State Fair, Merit Award: oil painting, Glendale Community College, Best of show: ceramics, Glendale Community College, Honorable Mention: photography, Native Brotherhood of British Columbia: Presidents Portrait, and custom masks and private portraits. Karen also won an award for her first book “Things I Learned from My Cat”. With her service dog Keno, Karen now resides in her childhood home near St. Paul, where her father’s wood-working shop serves as her art studio. More at: https://karenacaldwell.com.
About
Artistry is a regional arts nonprofit serving more than 94,000 people annually through theater, visual arts, arts education, and creative placemaking programs. Artistry is a proud participant in the Twin Cities Ivey Awards and one of seven nonprofit organizations based in the Bloomington Center for the Arts. For more information, visit www.artistrymn.org or call 952.563.8575.