ARTIST STATEMENT

My paintings focus on landscape imagery related to the story of places located in the “middle of nowhere”. Agricultural spaces inform my art practice which usually ends with paintings showing movement and color combinations that speak to the idea of a working landscape. I also like to paint the undeveloped landscapes of our public lands, specifically the beautiful forests and lakes found in the upper Midwest.

I travel and camp in the summers in order to find places to paint with the intent of highlighting the value of conserving our State Parks, Federal Lands, and other types of unpolluted/unpopulated places. I want the viewer to get an appreciation for the smallness of humanity and the largeness of the natural environment, particularly when nature areas are diminishing. In my opinion, conservation efforts are becoming more and more important as we work to care for these fragile environments.

Appreciation for the land is a point of view that is shared with most people who live outside of large, populated cities. Describing that idea through my artwork is both a personal account and a collective understanding of the landscapes we call home.

PAINTING PRACTICE

I like to paint outside as much as an artist in Minnesota can, which isn’t a lot. My preferred medium is oil paint and centers heavily on compositional design related to landscapes. While I incorporate some technical methods associated with plein air artists, such as gathering visual information directly from nature, I do not work alla prima (meaning that I do not complete a painting in one single sitting outdoors). Instead, I go on hikes and draw small compositional sketches and take reference photographs which serve as starting points in the studio. Working in my studio allows me to build layered surfaces and gradually refine color, atmosphere, and spatial depth. Although my paintings are rooted in observation, I often deviate from the source material. I like shifting forms, adjusting color relationships, and altering space to heighten the visual impact. My goal is to evoke the felt experience of a place rather than produce a strictly literal representation.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please contact the galleries listed below if you are interested in purchasing a painting. Click the yellow links to be directed to the gallery websites!

Or find me at kariclweber@live.com and facebook and instagram

REPRESENTATION

ST PAUL, MN: The Grand Hand Gallery

• 619 Grand Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55102
  (Corner of Grand Avenue & Dale Street)

• Phone: (651) 312-1122

• Fax: (651) 312-1133

• e-mail: sales@thegrandhand.com

• Hours: Open daily, 10 am – 5 pm

  Located at the East end of St. Paul’s historic Grand Avenue, The Grand Hand is just one half mile from the heart of downtown St. Paul. Grand Avenue is home to an eclectic assortment of retail stores, restaurants and specialty shops, and is surrounded by the Crocus Hill, Summit Hill and Ramsey Hill neighborhoods of grand turn-of-the-century Victorian homes. 

BAYFIELD, WI (AND MADELINE ISLAND): Bell Street Collective

• Phone: (715)-747-2092

• Email: info@bellstgallery.com

  BAYFIELD

  107 Manypenny Ave.
  Bayfield, WI 54814 MAP

  ISLAND

  807 Bell Street
  Madeline Island
  La Pointe, WI 54850 MAP

  Located in the heart of downtown Bayfield and on beautiful Madeline Island. This is a “Must See” Art destination featuring more than 40 local artists with a fantastic selection of art and gifts!

WASHBURN, WI: Ghost Ship Gallery

• Phone: (715)-373-2922

• Email: hello@ghostshipgallery.com
  715-373-2922
  318 W Bayfield St., PO 265
  Washburn, WI 54891

• Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10am-4pm, Closed Monday

Celebrating regional and international art, make a stop at the Ghost Ship — an alternative art haunt near the shores of Lake Superior featuring art studios, a retail gallery, and northern Wisconsin’s tiniest beer bar.