By
Karin Olah
Piece description from the artist
Inspired by afternoon regattas on the Charleston harbor, this coastal scene features sailboats, a parade of clouds, and a blue-green sea with striped textiles. Fabric is something that evokes an emotional response. Soft materials can make us feel calm, relaxed, cozy, and safe. I use textiles in my paintings to suggest a connection between the beautiful places in nature and the comforting touch of a well-loved quilt. Inspiration for my subject matter comes from cloud watching at the beach, the stripes of ocean waves on the horizon, a patchwork of farm fields, the meandering thread of a creek through the marsh, and quiet time at the lake. My interpretations of landscapes focus on color and mood more than realism. In these dreamscapes, the brushstrokes are fabric.
Inspired by the colors and light of the coastal landscape, Karin Olah combines hand-dyed fabric and paint to create her signature multi-layered paintings. Karin’s subject matter ranges from seascape to abstract expressionism to a dreamy place in-between.
Born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Karin combines her interest
in quilt making, a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, a background in fashion design in NYC, and an ever-growing fabric collection to add layers of texture, depth, and color to her work. She is a recipient of the Lowcountry Artist of the Year Award. Her work has been featured in Southern Living, House & Garden Magazine, Elements of Style Blog, Charleston Magazine, and American Contemporary Art Magazine. Her work exhibits at Gregg Irby Gallery in Atlanta, GA, Hillary Whitaker Gallery in Ponte Vedra, FL, and Liz Lidgett Gallery in Des Moines, IA, and is part of the public collections at Medical University of South Carolina, Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center, Meeting Street Lofts, and The City of Charleston. Karin lives in Charleston, South Carolina, where she enjoys spending time along the harbor, on the water, and at the beach with her family.
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