Artist Highlight: Whimsical Animal & Pet Portraits by Kaaren Anderson

Date
Nov, 08, 2017

As many of you know I started out this crazy blogging career as a painting and DIY artist. With that in mind, I’m always drawn to creative people with a unique way of looking at life. I collect art wherever I go and find beauty in every medium. I’m mesmerized by glass, pottery, woodworking, sculpture, architecture, even tattoos and everything in between. So what better way to spread the love of art with a new blog series highlighting marker artist Kaaren Anderson? 

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 Artist Kaaren Anderson

I’m so excited to be bringing you a new monthly series highlighting some of my favorite artists. Each month I’d like to introduce you to an artist that you might not be familiar with, share what I love about their work and peek inside the artists’s creative mind with a simple Q & A. In addition, these artists have generously offered to give away their work to one lucky reader! How lucky are we? Now Let’s meet Kaaren Anderson.

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Kaaren Anderson of Solveig Studio

Novembers highlighted artist of the month it’s Kaaren Anderson. I met Kaaren Anderson last year after driving by her pop up shop FLY BY located in the quaint Erie Canal neighborhood of Schoen Place in Pittsford, New York. Her bright colored sign, welcoming flags, and hand-painted chair out front drew me in. We chatted for over an hour about everything art.  Kaaren loves color, animals and a living life with her family and pets on her Honeoye Falls farm. I came home with one of her signature animal platters and immediately knew that I had met an artist after my own heart.

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Getting to Know Solveig Studio

1.)  How did you get started in art? what was your inspiration to follow a career in art?

  1. My parents were part of artist collectives in the 70’s and my dad was kind of a renaissance man, singer, actor, gifted woodworker, painter.  From an early age, we made our halloween costumes and he’d let us just go at whatever weird project I wanted to pursue.  

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2.) What is your favorite medium? And why?

Currently, Sharpie Permanent Markers.  I like that I can take a medium that is often thought of as a less than ideal medium and have the image in the end leave the viewer not sure of how i did the piece.  Watercolor?  Acrylic?  gouche? 

 

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3.) How does your art stand out from the million other artists in the world?

Ha haa, seriously dude.  That is a grandiose question.  But, my work is meant to make you laugh and bring you joy.  If I can’t do that, than I’ve lost my edge.  Each drawing has a quirky character bio as well that goes along with the piece.  That for me makes the animals live in their own little universes of personality. 
 

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4.) How do you find your subjects?

I do custom pet drawings for many people, so I work off of images of pets. But mostly I have stockpiled about 300 images of animals, that I mess around with when I go back to them, and use them as my models.

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The Crystal Ball

5.) Where do you see your art going in the next 5 -10 years? What are your goals?

To become the “it girl” art studio, that offers home decor and products that bring joy and laughter into people’s lives and homes.’ I basically want to be the new McKenzie Childs, back in her funky days! 🙂
 

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6.) If you could meet any artist dead or alive who would that be?

My list is way too long.  Some of the artist I’d currently like to meet are people I met on Instagram, most notably, Affra Gibbs Leigh Anne Thompson  and Jennifer Walker.

 

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7.) Tell us something special about you

I can set an internal clock and get up at 4:06 if you tell me to,  or 4:12.  I just wake up.  It’s a little weird. 
 

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8.) Whats your name website and contact info for someone who wants to order…

Kaaren Anderson
 
585 709 9204 
 

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There’s so much more to learn about Kaaren and her current artistic endeavors. She recently came back from NY NOW and was a hit with retailers and brands, That came to no surprise to me! I am so happy for Kaaren and the many good fortunes that are coming her way. Head on over to her website and see hundreds more of her designs! 

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Amazing location photography by Natalie Sinisgalli 

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ARE YOU A WINNER?

Here’s a peek inside this years FLY BY pop up store. Kaaren carries the works of  other artists in addition to her many mediums. Kaaren has generously offered to give away 2 square plates of your choice valued at $50.+   One lucky winner will be able to choose what two plates and Kaaren will cover the shipping and handling. Simply leave a comment below for either myself and/or Kaaren and you’ll be entered to win. Contest ends Sunday, November 12th at 9PM EST. Good luck guys and see you next month for a special Holiday giveaway. 

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I loved slaying around with Kaaren’s plates. Her small square plates look great on a larger white porcelain plate. I added fun Merrimecko placemats and colorful green service ware. How would you use her plates to decorate your table? 

Thanks for joining in on the party! xo Amie

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9 Comments

  1. Reply

    Cindy Dalton

    November 9, 2017

    I love Kaaren’s work! It is so whimsical and colorful. I love that her medium is marker! I would love to own some of her work.

    • Reply

      memehillstudio

      November 9, 2017

      HI Cindy! Thank you so much for stopping by the blog. Her plates are such a conversation piece when we entertain! So colorful and whimsical. Have a great day! Thanks for entering.

  2. Reply

    Karen Ewing

    November 9, 2017

    I love the art work. My absolute favorites are the dog with the wispy hair and the flower carrying sheep. The colors are beautiful,

    • Reply

      memehillstudio

      November 9, 2017

      Hi Karen! Yes she can capture the animals perfectly with a sharpie marker. And that’s not easy! Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by the blog. Amie

  3. Reply

    Jackie Gasbarre

    November 10, 2017

    Hi Amie!
    Thank you for spotlighting Kaaren! She is a local talent that makes me smile with all of the things I adore in art: vibrant color, whimsy and animals! Keep rockin’ and keep us smiling, Karen!

    • Reply

      memehillstudio

      November 10, 2017

      Thank you so much for stopping by Jackie! I totally agree with you. Kaaren adds so much color to our lives. Happy Friday. Amie

  4. Reply

    Stacey Sadler

    November 11, 2017

    Kareen’s artwork is so awesome! Lucky enough to have a few pieces of hers including a personalized illustration of our beloved Izzy, who happens to be the yellow lab posing for one of the pictures featured in your blog.

  5. Reply

    Sofie P.

    November 12, 2017

    Kaaren’s work is gorgeous! I love how whimsical and playful her art is. Thank you for highlighting her!

  6. Reply

    Kathy

    November 12, 2017

    What joy those plates would bring to the home!!
    Love to win!,

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Amie Freling

"Life's too short for white walls .." Amie Freling-Brown, a Rochester, NY-based designer and artist who transforms ho-hum spaces into works of art. Her creative designs can be found in many fine homes, restaurants and businesses. Her work has been featured in national magazines, on HGTV and has been sold through retailers nationwide from True Value Hardware to Nordstroms. She proudly offers such professional services as design, staging, color consultations and fine art.

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