Karen Beckwith

Karen D. Beckwith has been creating prints since the mid nineteen eighties and equates the process of printmaking to the investigation of places she has lived or visited, discovering layers of information from her observations. She examines the meaning of home life, the cultural dynamic of family, neighborhood, community and the secrets held within these environments.

Her roots in the country as well as her current surroundings in the city influence the work she creates. She looks for inspiration in her local community and the neighborhoods she travels through. Recently, she has been commuting by bicycle and scooter to work, which gives her a more intimate view of her surroundings. She looks for buildings, entryways, doors or windows that intrigue her.  This becomes the impetus for a new print or series of work.

“Having been an avid cyclist most of my life, I often use my bicycle as transportation which gives me the ability to interact with my surroundings more intimately. The bicycle itself has become inspiration for new work, which takes into consideration how we as a society travel from place to place and what resources we consume to do so.  The perspective from the seat of my bicycle is unencumbered with nothing to distort my view. My Interest in Taiwan is to explore the culture via the bicycle, investigate the biking culture and create work based on my exploration and the people I meet. This work can be in the form of photographs, sketches, and possibly creating some kind of sculptural piece that relates to or uses bicycle imagery. My main goal is to be open to opportunities that present themselves, meet as many new people as possible and explore the environment of Taiwan.”

Karen has exhibited extensively in the Cleveland Ohio region and has affiliation with Zygote Press, The Morgan Conservatory for Papermaking, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Karen is a Tamarind Master Printer and has consulted as technical adviser for a series of zincographs generated by The Cleveland Institute of Art printmaking majors. These prints were on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art in conjunction with their Gauguin show. Karen also collaborates with visiting artists at CIA as opportunity permits. She has created prints with Cathie Bleck, Beth Campbell, Curtis Mitchell, and Greg Nanney to name a few.