10 Questions with Karen V Kanas

Karen was raised in Chicago, Illinois, and was involved in the arts from a very young age. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from the Performing Arts Center, Barat College of DePaul University. Karen was fortunate enough to work with such theatre companies as Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Theatre, and Phoenix Theatre, to name a few. She studied painting and art history throughout her years in school, in addition to studying architecture and interior design when she moved to Los Angeles, California, at UCLA. Karen has been an artist for over ten years. Her background in theatre has influenced her immensely as an artist. Many of her artworks have been exhibited in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Jose. Karen was featured in DESTIG Magazine as one of their top emerging artists for 2019 and in the Los Angeles Art Association 2019 Volume 2 Catalog. She is a Founder Member of ArtChilli Gallery UK and a member of the Los Angeles Art Association. 

Karen’s artworks were featured in the September, October, and November 2021 Issue of House & Garden Magazine UK. She was the recipient of the 2020 Artist of the Future Award by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine and the 2021 recipient of the Award of Artistic Excellence for her Painting, Dancer in Motion, by Circle Foundation for the Arts. She also wrote and produced her video performance art piece, The Unseen Artist, which is a self-exploration of herself as an artist. In addition, she directed her husband, actor Ammar Daraiseh - who is originally from Jordan - in the online series Shakespeare’s Pawn and painted a series of portraits based on the characters he portrayed in the series that she entitled Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Karen currently resides in Los Angeles. 

www.karenkanas.com | @KarenaVK007

“I like to capture the beauty and essence of a moment in time or an idea I want to explore on canvas. Painting with acrylics allows me to express those impressions. I often paint in themes, depending on the season or mood I am in. The content of my artwork ranges from landscapes to abstract art, portraits, and figures. Typically I paint quite deliberately, engaging both traditional and innovative techniques. I like to create a custom palate for each of my paintings with one dominant color that takes precedence throughout the piece. My background in the performing arts has shaped my creativity as an artist throughout my life. I share this quality with Marc Chagall, who I relate to the most as the performing arts were a significant source of inspiration throughout his artistic career. I always learn something new about myself with each painting - each work motivates me as an artist and brings me great joy. My talent is always a work in progress. I never settle, which pushes me to explore even further.”

Karen V Kanas

INTERVIEW

Why are you an artist, and when did you first become one?

I always had a love for painting from the time I was a child. My mother would take me to the park center that offered art classes for children. I believe the first class I ever took was a finger-painting class. That memory of getting to play with different colors of paint excited me as a child. I have always been an artist. In 2017, I started to receive recognition and awards for my artwork from various exhibitions I participated in. I get tremendous joy out of being able to create something that takes people to another place. As an artist, I feel the painting is the most honest I can be with myself; this reflects who I am as a person. 

What is your aim as an artist? 

My aim as an artist is to show moments and memories from my own life in another relatable way. I feel each piece that I paint tells a story and is an extension of myself. My aim is for the viewer to have their own experience when viewing my artwork, evoking a memory from a time in their life that they are reminded of. I have had people tell me what certain pieces of my artwork mean to them or what memory it triggers. I am always curious to hear how people interpret my artwork as it helps me grow as an artist and continue to push my skills and broaden my artistic range.

Do you have a role model that you have drawn inspiration from when creating your art? 

I have many role models that I can't name them all - from my college professors, other artists I know, writers, the great master Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and Modernists as well as my role models – my mother, father, and auntie. My studies in theatrical design and the performing arts shaped my development as an artist. I was introduced to artist Marc Chagall while working at the Art Institute of Chicago when I was in college. I instantly related to his life and work. Chagall once said, "I adore the theater, and I am a painter. I think the two are made for a marriage of love."

What do you believe is the key element in creating a good piece of art? 

I believe the key element in creating a good piece of art is that it should have a purpose. It should have meaning and substance behind every piece. A good piece of art should have elements of truth that the viewer can relate and connect to. To educate and learn from and discover something we did not know about ourselves or something entirely new. A good piece of artwork allows us to connect in a way that words may not even describe nor are necessary – on an emotional and personal level.

What do you see as the strengths of your projects, visually or conceptually? 

My strengths are in my use of color and light visually, especially in my landscapes. I like a good landscape and enjoy painting them. When I am painting a landscape, I feel that when I am the most traditional and painterly as an artist. Those pieces have such depth. I like to take my time when painting a landscape. I am very thoughtful about my approach and technique. It is very reminiscent for me, almost like a journey that I embark on. Often, I think about Monet's garden in Giverny, France, and what must have been like for him to have that as his backdrop. 

Conceptually, I have grown accustomed to my abstract artwork. I feel I am stronger in this area, as abstract art is completely out of my comfort zone. I approach abstract art differently than landscapes in look, feel tone, and texture. Staying true to myself, I always use vibrant colors no matter what the subject matter is. Most of my ideas for my abstract pieces are purely based on feelings about current events or what I am feeling at that moment. Some are on the whimsical side, where I just allow myself to have fun and paint something completely different from what I would typically do.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work?

Most of my artwork is created based on my memories or the beauty and essence from a moment in time that I recall that I want to express on canvas. I am extremely visually and remember the details vividly from my life. I draw upon that when I am creating my work. Some pieces are created purely organically from ideas that I think would make for an interesting painting. When I first approach the notion for a piece I am about to paint, I always try to remain thoughtful and true. Questions I ask myself: Is this something I want to paint? Do I believe in this piece? It is an integral part of my process. 

Once I decide on what I am painting, I start thinking about my color palette. I love using vibrant colors, and a lot of the time, I can envision how the painting will look before I ever start on it. I always have one color that dominates and takes precedence throughout the piece. I do this intentionally to draw the eye of the viewer. I work mainly with acrylics, and often I like to water the colors down to create a glossier effect. If I am looking to add texture or layers to a piece, I will scrape gesso onto the canvas before I start painting, so that has time to set. 

My process involves engaging both traditional and innovative techniques while incorporating elements of impressionism with abstraction. When I paint, I do not work off images or sketches, nor do I sketch anything onto the canvas. I may see an image that inspires me, but that is it. I will reference art books as I think it is good to go back and study techniques. Some pieces take me months to complete, some only a few weeks, depending on the subject matter. I think the most challenging part is knowing when to stop, that a painting is finished. It took me years to learn this. Painting brings me great joy. I always learn something about myself from each piece that I paint. I never rush the process for the sake of creating art. Each piece takes time and deserves the utmost attention. 

Could you tell our readers about your experience as a director?

Directing was always on my list of things I wanted to do but was too afraid too. I decided to take a chance and just do it. The first piece I directed, Shakespeare's Pawn: Something Wicked This Way Comes, was a collaborative project with my husband Ammar Daraiseh, who starred in the series. We always wanted to do something with Shakespeare and put a spin on it. I took different monologues from Shakespeare's plays, tying them together into a theme for an online film series. Our objective was to introduce Shakespeare in a new and interesting way for those who may not be familiar with his work. For educational purposes, this is a great piece for English literature classes and a fun way for students to learn about Shakespeare.

Before we went into production, I looked back at all my theatre experience and approached directing from that perspective. I broke down the adapted script into beats - so much of Shakespeare is like poetry, and this made the most sense. Visually, I knew what I wanted in terms of the staging and what I wanted out of the performance. I also learned a lot about what I would do differently. This helped when we went into production on part two of Shakespeare's Pawn: Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I feel I had a better grasp of who I was as a director and my vision and expectations.

I look forward to directing more episodes once we can start filming again.

Can you explain the role of an artist in society? And how do you accomplish yours?

 I feel the purpose of an artist in society is to educate, convey a message or story, and open each other's eyes to the world around us through different mediums. There are many ways of doing this, and each artist has a different story they want to tell. I think that is what makes art so dynamic. There are so many artists whom I admire. I learn about where they come from, their story and message, whether political, religious, personal, etc. Every artist's journey is different and unique. For me, my artwork tells a story as it relates to family, memories, and places I have been. It is my own personal journey. 

What are you working on now? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

I am excited that my video performance art piece, The Unseen Artist, will be on view at the Los Angeles Art Association Gallery 825, Multiple Feeds Exhibition from October 30 – December 4, 2020, by appointment only. I also have a few other online art exhibitions currently running. I have a painting commission coming up that I am looking forward to. I am also preparing to paint a portrait of my mother. I recently painted a portrait of my father to coincide with my abstract self-portrait. I have two other pieces I plan to paint that are completely different subject matters. One is a storefront piece that will be a gift for a local business in my neighborhood that I love and frequent often. They have always been supportive of my artwork. The other piece will focus more on the body, the figure. Then I am writing and storyboarding part two of my video performance art piece.

What other interests do you have outside of art?

I miss going to museums outside of art, especially the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California. It is one of my favorite places. My other interests include music, dance, and theatre. I enjoy spending time reading and listening to music or going for a hike and just enjoying nature. Just being present in the moment is most inspiring. I am also a big believer in mindfulness and well-being, so meditation, working out, and eating healthy are essential parts of my daily routine to keep on track and focused.