Carolyn Karasek paints in the classical tradition, but her use of symbolism gives her portraits a narrative depth she calls magical realism.
“Regal Return,” by Carolyn Karasek
By: Kara Dicker
In Twilight Gathering, a young woman appears from within tall grasses. Her expression is radiantly tranquil, suggesting one who is at peace with nature, unafraid of the murder of crows who surround her, even rest upon her arm. The birds appear to be her friends, perhaps confidents. Her light hair strikes a contrast against the darkening sky, framing her gaze that is both otherworldly and benign.
“They are watchful creatures that can symbolize warmth and protection,” Karasek says of the crows within the piece.
Welcome to the multi-layered, often mysterious palette of Carolyn Karasek, a portrait artist who paints in the tradition of classical realism and incorporates symbolism, frequently birds, to add to her work’s narrative depth.
“Morning Light,” by Carolyn Karasek
Twilight Gathering debuted last summer at HAC’s national-juried show, Represensational. It is part of her 15-piece series in the works, Birds and Burdes. “I was thinking of the human connection,” Karasek says of the inspiration behind the series. “We humans and birds are warm-blooded. Birds represent freedom and things humans admire.” A burde is a Middle English term for a young woman.
While Karasek employs traditional technique in her representation of people, it’s her extensive use of symbol that gives her work its signature that she describes as magical realism. “I love painting people in portraits but not in the traditional sense of a formal portrait,” she says. “I enjoy making it into a magical realism by adding the symbolism and meaning.”
Karasek’s artistic training is extensive. As a child growing up in Southern Illinois, she had the benefit of having parents who were skilled artists. In St. Louis, Concordia Seminary commissioned portraiture from her father. Her mother painted people in an open-air market. Not surprising, Saturday morning art classes were a requirement as a young girl. However, it wasn’t until she left a decades-long career in nursing- a career that she says gave her “sensitivity to the human condition,” that Karasek began to fully pursue art. After earning her BFA from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, she went on to gain an MA in illustration from Syracuse University before achieving her MFA in illustration from Hartford Art School.
“Twilight Gathering,” by Carolyn Karasek
The artist’s education has given her immense respect for the Old Masters, as well as numerous 19th century artists. In HAC’s Group of Eight exhibit in January, Karasek presented her tribute to one of her favorite paintings – Jules Breton’s The Wounded Seagull (1878). Other artists she admires include France’s William Bougereau and Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun, the Dutch painter Rembrandt, and the American Impressionist Cecilia Beaux.
Karasek has worked in different mediums, including illustration for children’s literature, greeting cards, and textile art before focusing intensely on portraiture. Looking back, she has come to appreciate what her mother always valued as a painter. “My mom was a portrait painter, and I never understood why she liked it so much,” Karasek says. “It wasn’t until I was about 60 when I suddenly started feeling like people are so amazing to paint.”
In retrospect, Karasek says that she wishes there had been a greater emphasis on classical education earlier in her life. “In the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was all about painting your feelings and modernism,” Karasek says. For this reason, she appreciates the classical realism movement of recent decades. She points to the presence of the Gateway Academy of Classical Art in the Central West End, where she continues to take classes, as an example of how classical realism has gained academic momentum in St. Louis. “Coming back to traditional realism is really nice,” she says.
Karasek is a founding member of Heartland Art Club. She volunteers regularly as a gallery host, where she enjoys the relaxing atmosphere of the galleries and the inspiration that comes with interacting with members of the art community. She also holds a special appreciation for the support that HAC offers its members. “The Members’ Gallery is a great opportunity to show their work,” she says. “That is not something most galleries do.”