my story

I lived in the North East corner of the Congo near Lake Albert until I was eighteen. My formative memories are from the tropical jungle environment in the Ituri Forest at the base of the Rwensori Mountains. I am sure this is why I love the jungle and why I am concerned for the preservation of this ecosystem.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to create art, but I had no opportunity for formal art study as a child. Instead I explored local materials and engaged with local artisans pursuing many creative ways of seeing the world, using all sorts of available materials to create. 

I remember being in awe watching local artisans create marvelous images with banana tree bark. This inspired me to experiment too! I found objects in nature and used tree resin as glue to create repeated patterns on the landscape, creating small installations in the forest as play. I used discarded bits of wire, twigs, and tin cans to create small toys. In addition, I  mixed the orange red dirt with water creating a paint-like paste that I applied with sticks to the bags our flour came in. The upbringing I had in the Congo shaped me to be creative and resourceful about the act of making art, and really helped me to be mindful of the environment in all my processes. 

Once I completed my high-school training in Kenya I came to North America.  The cultural shock was real.  I looked like many people I met, I spoke the same language, but I didn’t understand the body language and the subtleties of the culture. Several times other students thought I was joking when I asked questions and they gave me joke answers. This was really hard. 

My parents were unsure about me attending Art School because an older school mate of mine had returned to North America, gone to Art School in California and joined a cult. I finally convinced them to let me enroll at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia where I completed my BFA. It was at Moore College of Art that I was introduced to the fascinating art form of printmaking.  I found myself totally engaged by printmaking, specifically etching. I was taught formal methods of printmaking. I loved (and still do!) the creative mark-making, layering of pattern and image, and the magic of the transfer of an image from one surface to another. 

After art school, I looked to the Nigerian artist printmaker Bruce Onabrekpaya for inventive ways of working with printmaking materials. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to take a workshop with him when he was in North America. His inventive printmaking techniques gave me the courage to break the restrictions of my formal training, and explore alternative ways of printmaking. His influence on my work was transformative. 

After Onabrekpaya’s workshop, my career really started to expand, and diversify. Printmaking began taking me all over the world including China, Africa, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, Indonesia and many places in North America. I’ve worked with students in fly-in reserve communities in northern Manitoba and in diverse places such as the High Arctic. Through my many endeavors, I’ve had the opportunity to teach, exhibit, and complete fascinating residencies - all contributing to my vast array of rich printmaking experiences.

From all my travels and places I have lived, I was always left thinking about the ideas of “Place” and “belonging”. These themes have influenced my work. 

All these diverse experiences have shaped me to be an adventurous printmaker. I seek out less toxic, more environmentally responsible ways of printmaking, always researching and experimenting with new methods and materials. I have explored many aspects of printmaking including, electro-etching with electricity and water, alumigraph using discarded easily accessible materials, waterless lithography using metal and paper plates, and reduction relief using acrylic on large Tyvek rolls (Tyvek is a material used as a vapour barrier in housing).

I invite you to explore my website and learn more about all my rich printmaking experiences and travels. I’d love for you to follow my journey by signing up for my art adventure newsletter, giving you first access to hear about my latest art endeavors (exhibitions, residencies, exclusive interviews and more.

Thanks so much for your interest and support.  

- Karen Cornelius

Check out the video below of Karen speaking about her
Environmentally Responsible Printmaking practice: