Artwork
Karin's paintings can be seen on her Instagram page at karinfkraft.
Woodwork
Adult salmon are guided to their streams of origin to spawn by the scent of trees unique to each streambed. When the salmon die, their carcasses are pulled into the forest by wild animals and their remains help fertilize the trees.
These sculptures are made from locally-milled, second-use cedar and fir scraps from building our home. My objective is to highlight the spectacular beauty of both the fish and the wood and portray the interconnectedness of the two. Each piece is approximately 18 X 32 inches.
Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
Chum (Oncorhynchus keta)
Sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbusha)
Beadwork
The artwork below was inspired by the bead work of the Huichol people of Mexico who have a deeply reverent and symbiotic relationship with nature. The Huichols live in the high sierras of Jalisco and Nayarit. Their art is deeply symbolic and usually includes maize, peyote, deer, candles, arrows, serpents, scorpions and the gods' eyes that point to the four cardinal directions.
The colors and patterns that I use do not contain the symbolism used by the Huichols. Instead I have attempted to emphasize the natural beauty that I see in each shell, skull, or carapace.
To bead an item, a mixture of beeswax and copal resin from the Bursera tree of southern Mexico must be applied to the piece. The beads are then pressed one at a time into the wax mixture. It is a slow process, but the beads are securely embedded.
This type of artwork must be kept out of the sun or heat greater than 85 degrees F. Otherwise the wax mixture will become malleable and the beads will move out of place or fall off.
All bones and shells were collected from animals that died of natural causes.
Icelandic Sheep-Ram (Ovus aries) Gift to husband
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
Horse Conch (Triplofusus giganteus) 12" Wedding gift to son and his wife
Florida Fighting Conch (Strombus alatus) with Barnacles - Donated to the Periwinkle Foundation
Moonsnail (Euspira lewisii) - 2 1/4" in diameter - SOLD
Tulip Shell (Fasciolaria tulipa) - 6 1/2" X 3 1/4" - Gifted
Ornate Box Turtle Shell (Terapene ornata) collected 40 years ago in TX. 4 1/4 " X 4" - Gifted
Raccoon Skull (Procyon lotor) - 4 1/2" X 3" - $150
Bison (gouache)
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