Meet Karen Albanese Campbell | Printmaker, Painter and Quilter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Albanese Campbell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
This question caught my eye because I have asked myself this exact question over and over and OVER again over my 43 year art career. At the beginning of my career, after I graduated from art school, I had a series of jobs that eroded my spirit. They were all “art” jobs, but they were boring, poorly paid, in ugly spaces, or dealt with products I wasn’t attracted to. But I had met an art director who advised me to just learn what I could from each job and move on. I think I took the advice too literally because one of the jobs I held for only two weeks. But I kept moving and trying new things. By the time I quit my last full-time job I had collected enough experience to launch a full-time freelance design business which enabled me to pay my bills, buy a house and put my spouse through grad school. And it was interesting and satisfying. Eventually I transitioned from design to “fine art” which plunged me into a new kind of self-doubt and questioning whether I should keep going as an artist. As a fine artist the rejections and challenges felt very personal and I wondered if I even had anything to say, and whether my art was making the world better. Some days I had to search for reasons to continue. But my style began to mature, I started to find my voice and create art about subjects I cared about and I was changing my definition of “success” as an artist. There was a time “success” was completely about money and sales. Now I ask myself different questions. Is my art making viewers feel something, is it memorable, am I building on my past art to create my next art? For the past several years I have been part of Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative and I see the real key to continuing as an artist is finding community. I wish I had built community with artists into my lifestyle early in my career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art began to merge with my preoccupation with displaced people and refugees. Watching the Syrian refugee crisis unfold on the news inspired the work that I am most proud of to date. Beginning with a large scale woodcut titled “Moment of Silence” which focused on a young girl standing in a field of poppies, a flower native to that part of the world and one which symbolizes the innocent victims of war, my work has pretty much been trying to tell a very subjective story, which is really mine as I try to process this global crisis. It’s about trying to humanize the narrative of what have become iconically negative images of refugees and migrants we see in the news. These people, caught in the conflicts, displaced by war, are like me, trying to care for their children, wanting to live peaceful lives, created in the image of God and carrying their hopes and dreams in suitcases. I want my art to not only express my ideas and feelings but also build empathy and invite viewers to ask new questions about migrants. My “Caravan” series of prints is about identity, finding ways to be wrapped in comfort and warmth, and about the beauty all people are carrying. And “The Travelers” is about how we can’t really understand what we are seeing (such as photos in the news) until we change our perspective or position. Making this work was important for me, it wasn’t made to sell or for a gallery or a show. It really came from me and it has had the most positive response of anything I’ve made. I can see how it’s most important to allow my work to be true to who I am as a person and an artist, my art has to be about what I believe and what I care deeply about. My new series is building on the art I have made over the past five years. It’s my process of looking back through my own family history which is basically lost to the wind. But I know my ancestors came here as migrants fleeing gang violence, poverty and natural disasters. With some time-traveling magic, I have so much in common with asylum seekers today because I am their great grandchild.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would hope this friend visited me during the warm months because the gray Ohio winter doesn’t inspire me very much. But ok, it’s January in Ohio…let’s go hopping, try new places, and hit one place for a coffee, the next for a cocktail, the next for something delicious to eat, throw in some art galleries or the museum or a place for music and follow up with ice cream. Pretty good day! But if they came in the warm weather I would load up my foldable Oru kayaks and head to Lake Logan near the Hocking Hills and paddle back into the water lilies and lotus fields. We’d just pull our boats together, float along and talk. We’d paddle too far and then have a grueling trip across open water to get back. Perfect day. Columbus is rapidly growing and changing. It’s hard to keep up with the new places. Some favorite spots that we have gone to for DECADES, and since we inevitably end up exploring German Village with guests: The Mohawk, The Book Loft, and a Shakespeare play in Schiller Park. Columbus is growing rapidly and there’s so many great spots to visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout goes to my artist community at Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative, a true “artist run” organization that relies on the members to work together to keep the cooperative going. Printmakers tend to be very community-minded artists to begin with, sharing equipment, techniques and extra hands as needed. The first step into this cooperative was being a workshop participant; I moved on through levels of commitment from associate membership to core membership; and I have been president for the past three years. I have a studio at my home where I can work alone part of the time and I have the studio at Phoenix Rising where I can collaborate with other artists, discuss ideas for current or new work, pursue challenges, get feedback, exhibit together and just enjoy all the benefits of community. Some days that simply means conversation or lunch buddies. There’s definitely sacrifice and work involved in being part of a community like this but Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative celebrated 25 years in 2023. That means for 25 years artists have cared enough about having this special community of artists and this special space to keep it going. [email protected]
phoenixrisingprintmaking.org
Treasurer, Judith Steele [email protected]
Vice President, David Pickard [email protected]

Website: karenalbanesecampbell.com

Instagram: @petersmadre