...A visit to Kayleen Horsma's studio...

WARNING: ENTERING MY STUDIO 

...Thought I would take you along to see a bit of my studio...
While I was loading up these pictures I was reminded of how nice it is to have my OWN space. I know. I worked at the table for many years... or maybe we were just eating on my easel?

...I remember when I was a tad bit younger liking space.... seems that I have always had a bit of an issue with that sort of thing, come to think of it. This may come as a bit of a shock to you, but I SOOO badly wanted to have my own bathroom...

...At least one of my sisters liked space too.. though she didn't really appreciate that I liked her space... especially when we set up our play house in her closet. It was a perfect size.. had our own window, kitchen, and all.. no bathroom, but that didn't really matter.

...and there is one more story that is kind of humorous now that I am reminded of space. I was sponsored by the local Coop as a midsummer queen candidate. We were given a list of questions to prepare to answer on stage. One of the questions was, 'What are the pros and cons of being from a large family?' ... WAAAY too obvious... I would never be asked that one. Right. So I walk the walk, and wait prepared for the big question. Right? .... Well, what is a person supposed to do, but be honest and give a very queenly styled answer...'The cons are that If you live in a small home there might not be enough room, and the pros are that if you do, you learn to cooperate quickly.'
The audience was a bit more entertained than I had intended.

Needless to say, I am thankful to have some space.

I think my kids are too. Although, Owen, my 7 year old- just today asked about the meetings that I go to... 'Why do you have so many meetings? Do you go have a meeting with yourself, huh?' (I had met with a reporter and his wife from the Finish American Reporter this morning at the studio.)

I can be reached by cell at 218-639-2251 for one of those meetings that I have with myself :)
....right off of HWY 71 in Menahga, MN

(** paintings on the easels are in progress)

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ZOOM

Article by Kayleen, a copy from her blog at  http://khorsma.blogspot.com/

The Dreaded Artist Statement!

I have come to realize that writing an artist statement during 
a time of transition in my work can be a tense, messy process, 
but this time it was well worth the effort. Writing this artist 
statement (below) really helped gain understanding of where 
my work has been. The two pieces mentioned below will be in 
an upcoming exhibit at the Cyrus Running Gallery at Concordia 
College, Moorhead, Minnesota in September 2011.

    More                                                  More detail

Artist Statement
As a mixed-medium artist, I work both two and three-dimensionally; my sculptures and paintings seem to fuel one another. My recent paintings and sculptures are examining how we all are connected to each other, as well as needing a connection to nature. For the last seven years, I have been working with sewing pattern paper as my primary material, inventing processes to use the material without losing its delicate and translucent qualities. I enjoy sewing pattern paper’s natural color, graphic markings, and associations with traditional women’s work and craft.

The painting More began as an ode to light, as the womb-like pear form was painted to allow light and color through the translucent paper. As it continued, I chose to repeat the block-printed word “more” and it quickly became a statement or challenge. Are we all sheep? Or can we resist the demand upon us to have and do more, and more fully appreciate the natural abundance all around us?

Once I began suspending my strings of pear-forms, I was brought back to my first fascinations with the balance and movement of Alexander Calder’s mobiles. In Pear Helix, the empty space becomes just as important as the forms themselves. To me, the small, connected forms are an intertwined family.

 

Pear Helix                          Pear Helix detail