Karen Glanders’ journey has been one of soul searching, exploring emotions, social issues and religion. She attended Herron School of Fine Art and has worked out of her home studio since 1998. Her love for tactile material and texture continues to grow and evolve in her painting and mosaics and, now, clay.
She has enjoyed a relationship with Editions Ltd, in Indianapolis, IN since 2003. She is married to Geoff Glanders and has three grown sons, Eric, Sam, and Charlie. She and her husband reside in Nashville, Indiana on a farm.
Artist Statement
My work is a reflection of the search for my spiritual devotion and responsibility in the world today. My life has been moved to a journey of faith and this journey has become an integral part of my work. I have spent a great deal of time researching symbols used in Christian art and I incorporate many of these symbols in my paintings and mosaics as well as symbols or objects that specifically speak to me spiritually. I use symbols that are often very present in our lives today to tell stories about my experiences and my relationship with God. It is my hope that these contemporary interpretations will spark curiosity among viewers and cause them to ask questions or ponder their own spirituality. I feel the juxtaposition of familiar objects will at least keep the audience entertained if nothing else.
Mosaics have been a big part of my expression in the past decade and I have enjoyed the vast material opportunities that the medium affords. I use smalti glass (Old Italian mosaic glass), stone metal, handmade ceramic pieces and found objects.
Through mosaics, I rediscovered ceramics, as I have played with them on and off since high school. I have made use of clay as a material in my mosaics and while I have always loved playing with clay, I haven’t been willing to invest the much needed time to learn the medium in depth. I knew it would be opening a huge door that I didn’t have time to open…..until a year ago. I set aside this past year to explore ceramics and it has been a wild and crazy ride. All trial and error. Lots of failures. 99% failures. But I am turning a corner and am coming to some wonderful conclusions that I cant wait to spend more time on.
About 70 percent of my career have been focused on vessels in a spiritual way. Turning my direction to vessels in 3 dimensional form is very satisfying and is right in line with all of my efforts thus far.
Education
1978-1982 Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, B.S. Education
1993-1998 Herron School of Art and Design, Indianapolis, Indiana
2000 Nita Leeland Creative Workshop, San Juan Islands, Washington
2008 Chicago Mosaic Art School, Ilana Shafir Mosaic Workshop
2015 Quang Ho Workshop
Awards
2018 Mosaic Arts International, Juror’s Choice Award
Exhibitions
2003 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Group Show
2003 Christian Theological Seminary , Indianapolis, Indiana, Juried Exhibition
2004 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Group Show
2005 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2 Person Show
2006 Springfield Liturgical Art Festival, Springfield, Illinois, Juried Exhibition
2006 Stanley Clark’s Art for the Mind, South Bend, Indiana
2006 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Group Show
2007 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Group Show
2009 Stanley Clark’s Art for the Mind, South Ben, Indiana
2010 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Group Show
2012 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Group Show
2015 Editions Limited, Indianapolis, Indiana, Solo Show
2018 Mosaic Arts International, Boston, Massachusetts
2019 St. Meinrad Monastery, St. Meinrad, Indiana 2 Person Show
2020 International Society of Acrylic Painters, Juried Online Exhibit.