My work usually begins with a drawing I create while attempting to engage my subconscious accessing both visceral, instinctive and at times, emotional ideas. Reflecting life’s difficult and fun stages I often salute specific people and accomplishments abstractly presenting them from a vocabulary of lines in steel.
From the drawings, I “draw” in steel using the drawing on watercolor paper as a pattern upon which I subsequently weld the structure and witness the controlled destruction of the image, using a spray bottle to prevent too much damage!
It becomes a reincarnation for me to use as a painting canvas to further explore the concept in color or monochromatically. For people to have their own private experience of my work is important to me. When shown together they tell a story of evolution and spiritual discovery, inviting the viewer to reflect upon their own life and its challenges.
Visiting different countries and immersing myself into the culture and landscape often gives me ideas to revisit when back in my studio. The architecture of Japan and their love and respect for nature as evidenced within their most widely practiced religion of Shintoism have also provided inspiration.
After traveling in Kenya and Tanzania for 3 weeks and spending time with the Maasai, Kikuyu, and Samburu tribes I created works derived from these experiences. Seeing the wild animals in their natural habitat was incredibly powerful.
The people least responsible for climate change are suffering the most. Their lifestyle and culture forced to change in order to survive. Those resulting works are meant to give accolades and respect to their unique and very special relationship with nature.
Eclipse fabricated mild steel, mirror fragments, bullseye glass, wood, drive belt, enamel, acrylic and epoxy resin 38″ x 29″ x 2.75″ 2024
Eclipse Echo acrylic & charcoal on arches BFK paper 45″ x 29″ 2024
Hopes and Fears fabricated stainless, mild steel, cast iron, copper, African glass, bone beads, lacquer, and acrylic 19″ x 27″ x 2.5″ 2024
Hopes and Fears Echo acrylic & charcoal on arches BFK paper 22″ x 30″ 2024
Another All About Nothing fabricated steel and acrylic 27″ x 14.5″ x 4.5″ 2024
Another All About Nothing II fabricated steel, African bead, and acrylic 25″ x 13″ x 5″ 2024
Ideology Transformations Fabricated and plasma cut stainless steel & acrylic 12″ x 15″ x 9″ 2022
More Water and Ice Fabricated recovered bathroom stainless steel, s.s. stock, recycled old mirrors, and acrylic 30″ x 30″ x 2 1/2″ 2023
Water and Ice Fabricated recovered bathroom stainless steel, recycled old mirrors, and acrylic 19″ x 37″ x 5″ 2023
Swimming Free Fabricated and plasma cut stainless steel, glass, & acrylic 16″ x 13″ x 8″ 2022
Bumpy Roads Fabricated and plasma cut stainless steel, glass, & acrylic 13″ H x 21″ W x 5″ D 2022
Frustration Fabricated and plasma cut stainless steel & acrylic 17″ x 17” x 7″ 2022
Crown Crane fabricated & plasma cut stainless steel, enamel & oils 35″ x 19″ x 3 1/2″ 2022
Crown Crane Echo acrylic & charcoal on arches BFK paper 30″ x 22″ 2022
Crown Crane (head) fabricated and plasma cut stainless steel and oils 10″ x 9″ x 2.5″ 2022
Joyful Dance fabricated and plasma cut stainless steel and oils 14″ x 12″ x 1.5″ 2022
About Nothing fabricated, plasma cut stainless steel, glass, & oils 19.5″ x 13″ x 3.5″ 2022
Tree That Was Fabricated stainless steel with oils 26 1/2″ x 24 1/2″ x 1″ 2021
Nature’s Wrath Fabricated aluminum, fused bullseye glass, and acrylic 25″ x 13 x 3″ 2020
Is It In or Out? Fabricated steel, mirror, found object, and oils 25″ x 23″ 15″ 2020
Sinking Fabricated stainless steel, silver leaf and fused bullseye glass, oils 35″ x 32″ x 3″ 2020
Sinking Echo Aluminum, acrylic, charcoal, & pastels on arches wc paper 45″ x 29 1/2″ 2020
Climate Change on Steroids Fabricated stainless and mild steel, gypsum crystals, and oils 33″ x 42″ x 2″ 2019
Climate Change on Steroids Echo Acrylic, charcoal, and pastels on arches wc paper 45″ x 29″ 2019
Details below
Amazonian Atrocities Fabricated stainless and mild steel, and oils 39″ x 29″ x 3″ 2019
Amazonian Atrocities Echo Charcoal, acrylic, and pastels on arches 45″ x 29″ 2019
Shinto Today and Yesterday Stainless and mild steel, and oils 29″ x 48″ x 3″ 2019
Shinto Today and Yesterday Echo Charcoal, and acrylic, on arches 29″ x 45″ 2019
Details below
Ode to Cesar Pelli Stainless, galvanized, and mild steel 27″ x 37″ x 5 1/2″ 2019
Ode to Cesar Pelli Echo Charcoal, and acrylic, on arches 29″ x 45″ 2019
Details below
Scorched Earth Spirits Fabricated stainless and mild steel, oils, African glass beads 69” x 20” x 20” 2018
Animal Kingdom and Echo Fabricated stainless and mild steel, oils, arches paper, charcoal, and acrylic. 61” x 45” x 3” 2018
Breathtaking Animals and Echo (Diptych) Fabricated stainless and mild steel, charcoal and acrylic on arches. 57″ x 45″ x 3″ 2018
Lovely Masai and Echo (Diptych) Fabricated stainless and mild steel, oils, glass beads, arches paper, charcoal, and acrylic 29″ x 45″ x 3″ 2018
Amazing Journey Frabricated stainless and mild steel, and oils. 40” x 27” x 2” 2018
Amazing Journey Echo Charcoal and acrylic on arches wc paper 44 1/2” x 28 1/2” 2018
Majestic Creatures Fabricated stainless and mild steel 40”x 27”x 3 1/2″ 2018
Majestic Creatures Echo Charcoal and acrylic on arches. 45”x 29″ 2018
White Rhino Echo Charcoal and acrylic on arches. 45”x29” 2018
White Rhino. Fabricated stainless and mild steel. 35”x29x3” 2018
Harmony Fabricated stainless and mild steel. 21”x 19”x 5” 2017
Epiphany Fabricated steel 27”x 40”x 3” 2017
Epiphany Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44”x 29” 2017
Bee Bop Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44”x 29 1/2” 2016
Bee Bop Fabricated steel 42”x 27”x 3” 2016
Humming Along Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 29”x 21” 2017
Humming Along Fabricated steel 28 1/2”x 19”x 3” 2017
Skylark Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 29”x 21” 2017
Skylark Fabricated steel 28 1/2”x 17 1/2”x 2” 2017
Life and Death in a Day Fabricated steel 44 1/2”x 27”x 2” 2017
Life and Death in a Day Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44 1/2”x 29 1/2” 2017
Operatic Opera for Pat Means Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44 1/2”x 29” 2017
Operatic Opera for Pat Means Fabricated steel 39”x 27”x 5” 2017
Pure Logic Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 15”x 11” 2017
Pure Logic Fabricated steel 14”x 10”x 2” 2017
Come Hither and Yon Fabricated steel 14”x 9 1/2”x 2” 2017
Come Hither and Yon Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 14 1/2”x 11” 2017
Valkarie Fabricated steel 44 1/2”x 29” 2016
Valkarie Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 45”x 17”x 1 1/2” 2016
Hindu Buddha Spirit Fabricated steel 42”x 26”x 1” 2016
Hindu Buddha Spirit Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44”x 29” 2016
Hindu Buddha Spirit 2 Fabricated steel 40”x 27”x 1” 2016
Hindu Buddha Spirit 2 Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44”x 29” 2016
Atonal Jazz Fabricated steel 40”x 27”x 3” 2015
Atonal Jazz Echo Acrylic and charcoal on Arches paper 44” x 29” 2015
All Content Copyright © Karena Massengill. All Rights Reserved.