Bensville resident and artist, Ms Karen Bloomfield, has had a highly successful year garnering nominations for four prestigious art awards.
Ms Bloomfield had works nominated for the Hunters Hill Art Prize, the ANL Maritime Art Awards and the Paddington Art Prize, in which she was a fi nalist for all three, and is currently a fi nalist for the Portia Geach Memorial Award. Ms Bloomfield has also planned a spat of shows and exhibitions to fi nalise her fantastic year of success including a collaboration with fi bre sculptor, Lee Cavender, at the Art Studios Cooperative, Gosford, this November, Terraforma 200, Sydney, and, Art by the Sea, Killcare, in December.
Ms Bloomfield said she felt incredibly lucky for her success so early in her career, having left her corporate job to study art. In 2014, after obtaining her Diploma in Fine Arts, Ms Bloomfi eld began pursuing a career in the art world. “Having a business background actually prepared me for a career as an artist in ways I didn’t expect,” Ms Bloomfield said.
“I think people have this perception that artists are these people that just create art on the side and go about their day, but it’s just not my reality as an artist. “People don’t seem to realise how challenging it is to balance the creativity required and the business aspect of being an artist. “There are so many expenses involved in this industry. “You need materials, a studio, and a way to pay to transport your art to and from a venue or exhibition,” Ms Bloomfield said.
“It’s defi nitely been my biggest challenge, striking a balance between the career and the creative,” she added. Despite this, Ms Bloomfield said she had never felt more like herself then when she dedicated her life to art. “I’m doing what I love and just being myself, and that feels really incredible. “It’s been such an experience going from a business woman to an art student to a professional artist with an entry in a competition as prestigious as the Portia Geach,” she continued. Now in the “recognition” phase of her career, Ms Bloomfield said she hoped her stellar year would go a long way in helping her reach her goals.
“I came into this with no expectations but plenty of goals, and right now I’m building up my recognition and representation as an artist. “There’s a big period of recognition where artists need to build and build upon their work and get their name out there before they can live securely as an artist, but I’m happy where I’m at with my career and so excited for the future,” Ms Bloomfield said. Ms Bloomfi eld works primarily with oils and charcoal and labels her artistic style as impressionist. Ms Bloomfield explores her love of the industrial with her oils, with an emphasis on vehicles and heavy machinery as her subject matter of choice. On the fl ip side, she addresses the natural world in her charcoals, focusing on the organic and the vibrant. Ms Bloomfield has also begun to mix mediums and has started working inks and other new stylings into her oils and charcoals.
Interview, Oct 31, 2016 Karen Bloomfield, Bensville Dilon Luke, Journalist.