A Visit With Michelle, and Setting up my Palette!

I had a lovely visit with my apprentice Michelle Bradway last night. Here are some photos she took while visiting. I have began to set out my palette for my next collection release.

Photos by Michelle Bradway Photography

Other photos from this part of the process:

Apprentices, Painting, Process, Paint MakingAlexa Karabin Kleinermichelle bradway, photography, paint making, sparkle paint, gem paint, watercolor paint, watercolor, watercolour, alexa k., alexak, insect, glass, kalamazoo, michigan, west michigan, east lansing
We made it to the end of My 100 Days of Gold! Check it out!
We made it to the end of My 100 Days of Gold! Check it out!
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Day 100 of My 100 Days of Gold / The Last Bombus / Handmade Watercolor and 24k Gold / Matted and Ready to fit in a 5''x7'' Frame
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Day 99 of My 100 Days of Gold / The Last Cicada / Handmade Watercolor and 24k Gold / Matted and Ready to fit in a 5''x7'' Frame
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Day 98 of My 100 Days of Gold / The Last Bombus / Handmade Watercolor and 24k Gold / Matted and Ready to fit in a 5''x7'' Frame
5''x7'', My 100 Days of Gold, Blue, Earth, aceo, Bees, Insects
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Day 97 of My 100 Days of Gold / The Golden Dung beetle / Handmade Watercolor and 24k Gold / Matted and Ready to fit in a 5''x7'' Frame
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Exhibitions, Artwork For Sale, PaintingAlexa Karabin Kleinerartwork, insects, gold, gilding, 24k, goldleaf, watercolor, grandmother's jewelryComment
NEWS, HEAR ALL ABOUT IT
NEWS, HEAR ALL ABOUT IT

MY 100 DAYS OF GOLD

The 100 Day Project is ending and I am shutting my shop down until Saturday when I can share the last of the project! Tune in on Saturday Night at 7:00pm EASTERN

ART HOP

Also, Friday I will be at Kalamazoo’s Art Hop in Bates Alley from 5:00-8:00pm

THE DEER AND THE NEST

Are home! And you will be able to purchase them at a discount because I don’t have to share with a gallery. I am so excited to offer them at a more affordable price! I hope they find their homes. I spent over 3 months on each of these pieces and prints of them have been shipped all over the world!

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the nest, series, woman, female, mother nature, gaia, sun, moon, earth, insects, luna moth, nested, bird nest, birds, kalamazoo, sparkle, glitter girl, artist, art, painting, nature, insects crawling, the deer, gold, grandmothers jewelry, intricate, ann arbor, art fair, bigoriginals
The Nest / Original
the nest, series, woman, female, mother nature, gaia, sun, moon, earth, insects, luna moth, nested, bird nest, birds, kalamazoo, sparkle, glitter girl, artist, art, painting, nature, insects crawling, the deer, gold, grandmothers jewelry, intricate, ann arbor, art fair, bigoriginals
$4,000.00

She was exhibited for several months, and now she is home with me! When I exhibit in a gallery I have to share between 40%-60% with the gallery. Now that she is home with me, I was able to drop the price a bit! I spent 3 intense months on her and she is made with a LOT of 24k gold, gems, and other mixed-media. I have shipped prints of her all over the world, but there is nothing like the original. She sparkles, shines, and glows. She is an experience. Full price includes a frame of your choice, but on sale she comes without a frame.

Statement for the Nest:

First, there was the Deer. A painting that was inspired by an incident that involved a deer that was shot on my property, and the subsequent months that followed, watching the animal return to the earth. When only fur was left, I collected some, but left most of it. The day after I collected the fur, a giant oak tree fell on where the body once rested. Months later, in early spring, the pandemic had started and I spent more than a month inside. Scared. Finally, I forced myself to go outside and explore the woods. And that is when I found it. A bird had made a nest out of deer fur! The Deer’s fur. This piece was inspired by the feelings I had at that moment of discovery. 

 

Using a variety of techniques, I create artworks that explore themes of natural history, historical occurrence, memory, and cycles. My materials are found and handmade—my most precious material is my grandmother’s antique jewelry that I crush and use to make handmade watercolors. This piece also includes rubies, emeralds, 24k gold, deer fur, geodes, and glass. 

View the piece in action on youtube: https://youtu.be/1aG3WBkRUIk

the nest, series, woman, female, mother nature, gaia, sun, moon, earth, insects, luna moth, nested, bird nest, birds, kalamazoo, sparkle, glitter girl, artist, art, painting, nature, insects crawling, the deer, gold, grandmothers jewelry, intricate, ann arbor, art fair, bigoriginals
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luna, roman luna, greek luna, moon, moth, insects, nature, dragonfly, bees, moons, moon art, artwork, artist, glitter gilr, girl, glow, gold, 24k gold, gilded, gold leaf, goldleaf, fancy panel, panel artwork, watercolor on panel, large pieces, gree, purple, bigoriginals
Luna / Framed/ Original Mixed-Media Painting on Birch Panel / Buried Gems, Glass, Crystals, 24k Gold Leaf and Handmade Watercolor on Panel
luna, roman luna, greek luna, moon, moth, insects, nature, dragonfly, bees, moons, moon art, artwork, artist, glitter gilr, girl, glow, gold, 24k gold, gilded, gold leaf, goldleaf, fancy panel, panel artwork, watercolor on panel, large pieces, gree, purple, bigoriginals
$3,500.00

The image opening is 20’’x28’’ and the exterior of the frame is approximately 30’’x 38’’, she is a large piece.

After painting moons and luna moths for years, I decided I would delve a little deeper into the Luna. This piece has been on my mind for over a year when I started preparing the panel. Luna is the embodiment of the Moon. The connector of night spirts. The glowing radiance of the night. The partner of the Sun (Sol).

Painted on a speciality professional birch wood panel. Painted over a handmade, textured ground. This piece has buried gems, crystals, a fused glass leaf, broken glass, 24k gold, and handmade watercolor. It is sealed.

This piece is ready to hang on the wall as it is. It comes with an anti-static soft brush for cleaning. You could also choose to frame it in a shadow box frame.

luna, roman luna, greek luna, moon, moth, insects, nature, dragonfly, bees, moons, moon art, artwork, artist, glitter gilr, girl, glow, gold, 24k gold, gilded, gold leaf, goldleaf, fancy panel, panel artwork, watercolor on panel, large pieces, gree, purple, bigoriginals
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photosynthesis, plants, botany, botanical, kalamazoo, woman, photosynthesis project, art, painting, handmade watercolor, antique jewelry, grandmother, contemporary, paint, gold, gilded, gold leaf, 24k, jewelry, antique, nature, natural, women, artist, artwork, battle creek, ann arbor, lake michigan, grand rapids, grand haven, saugatuck, art fair, gallery, decor, gift, god, spiritual, spirit, sun, solar, bigoriginals
Photosynthesis - The Original Painting with 24k Gold Leaf - Moon Stones, Crystals, and Antique Jewelry - 24''x36''
photosynthesis, plants, botany, botanical, kalamazoo, woman, photosynthesis project, art, painting, handmade watercolor, antique jewelry, grandmother, contemporary, paint, gold, gilded, gold leaf, 24k, jewelry, antique, nature, natural, women, artist, artwork, battle creek, ann arbor, lake michigan, grand rapids, grand haven, saugatuck, art fair, gallery, decor, gift, god, spiritual, spirit, sun, solar, bigoriginals
$7,000.00

(click on image to view full image) VIEW A VIDEO OF HER, HERE

When I was a child I approached nature with wonder and amazement. Her symmetry, color, and fractals captivated my mind constantly.  My earliest memories were playing in my grandmother’s garden, never wondering what compelled her to convert every inch of her back yard into growing plants, buzzing with pollinators. This experience opened up my mind to the beauty of photosynthesis, our basis for life. 

This piece is meant to honor photosynthesis and express our symbiotic relationship. It is painted using handmade paints made out of pigment from found material like my grandmother’s crushed antique jewelry, various pigments from the earth, broken glass, and other material I have collected over the years. The glitter represents the child’s perspective and natural wonder for everything, while the broken jewelry and glass represents nature’s fragility. 

I am part of the Photosynthesis Project, a long-term project by a group of professional artists working together in the theme of Photosynthesis, and what that means to us. She will be exhibited throughout the month of November at the Center for New Media, along with the other artists in the Photosynthesis Project. She is available for purchase. I am requiring 10% down to reserve her. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing this artwork. alexa@alexakarabin.com

She is painted on a fine-art birch panel that is 2’’ thick and 24’’x36’’ in size, and can be framed to your liking.

Prints are available for pre-order, here.

photosynthesis, plants, botany, botanical, kalamazoo, woman, photosynthesis project, art, painting, handmade watercolor, antique jewelry, grandmother, contemporary, paint, gold, gilded, gold leaf, 24k, jewelry, antique, nature, natural, women, artist, artwork, battle creek, ann arbor, lake michigan, grand rapids, grand haven, saugatuck, art fair, gallery, decor, gift, god, spiritual, spirit, sun, solar, bigoriginals
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the deer, alexa karabin, deer art, life cycle, biology, entomology, life cycle art, sun, moon, photosynthesis, artwork, artist, deer, deers, insects, luna moth, butterfly, monarch, carnivorous insects, sparkle art, glitter art, michigan, kalamazoo, chicago, saic alumni, contemporary painting, bigoriginals
The Deer/ Original Painting on Wood Panel
the deer, alexa karabin, deer art, life cycle, biology, entomology, life cycle art, sun, moon, photosynthesis, artwork, artist, deer, deers, insects, luna moth, butterfly, monarch, carnivorous insects, sparkle art, glitter art, michigan, kalamazoo, chicago, saic alumni, contemporary painting, bigoriginals
$5,000.00

Now that my large originals are home, I am able to drop the price a bit! When they are in a gallery I have to share between 40%-60% with the gallery! I spent 3 months making this piece and several months before that conceiving and planning for it! It is made with a LOT of 24k gold and a variety of other materials. Read the story about the Deer, below!

I so believe in omens, whatever name you want to give them. For me, they usually involve animals. And sometimes they come at me in quite dramatic ways, unfortunately. This one happened when I was standing outside my studio in the spring taking a smoke break and enjoying the sun, when a gunshot came out of nowhere. I live in what I would call residential-country. I have an acre and 1/2 of land. There are houses all around and my kids play outside (they were at grandma’s at the time). A police officer then rolls up my driveway to inform me he had just shot and deer on my property. I was taken aback and still in shock. He caught me smoking pot, something that had just become legal in Michigan. So, let’s just put it this way—I didn’t ask questions. The officer left without saying more, and I was left with a body ( I assume the deer had been hit by a car first). I knew I was meant to watch over this deer. This piece was inspired by what I saw over the next few months. I collected fur when that was all that was left, and a few days later an old oak tree fell on where the body was. When I made this piece, I mostly thought about how humans interact with nature. How we impact it with our actions. And how the cycle still wants to happen, even though our impact created a ripple. How fragile nature is. How beautiful and perfect it is. How broken we are.

The deer is made out of the handmade watercolors that I make out of my grandmother’s antique jewelry. It has embedded crystals, moonstones, beads, glass, and a lot of 24k gold. The piece is 3 dimensional. A real cicada husk was embedded and gilded with 24k gold leaf, and the fur of the deer that inspired this piece was used in it, as well. The piece is sealed to protect the organic components. I include a non-static brush for occasional dusting (once or twice a year).

It is 30’’x30’’ on a 3 inch thick, cradled birch panel. I had a white, wood custom frame made for it. The frame is included in the price. The price also includes shipping within the United States. Please allow for a couple of weeks, because I will have to make a custom box for shipping.

the deer, alexa karabin, deer art, life cycle, biology, entomology, life cycle art, sun, moon, photosynthesis, artwork, artist, deer, deers, insects, luna moth, butterfly, monarch, carnivorous insects, sparkle art, glitter art, michigan, kalamazoo, chicago, saic alumni, contemporary painting, bigoriginals
News, New WorkAlexa Karabin Kleiner
A visit with Michelle Bradway
A visit with Michelle Bradway

Michelle Bradway, my photographer in residence and apprentice took these lovely macro photographs of Luna while visiting the studio during our weekly studio visit.

She also took impromptu photographs of my mother and I hugging for the first time in over a year! They really are great photographs. Visit Michelle Bradway Photography to find out more about Michelle and her wonderful art.

Apprentices, NewsAlexa Karabin Kleinerartwork, photography, michelle bradway, michelle porter, photo, images, detail, details, luna, moon art, kalamazoo, kalamazoo photographer, michigan, covid
My First In-Person Event in over a year! April 2021 Art Hop
My First In-Person Event in over a year! April 2021 Art Hop
Photo By Jordan Green

Photo By Jordan Green

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I had so much fun at Kalamazoo’s Art Hop on April 2nd, 2021! The first in-person event in over a year! I cannot believe it. I felt the Arts Council of Kalamazoo did a wonderful job, safely introducing us back to the world! I want to thank them for their kindness, and for thinking of me to be included in the show. It feels good to be back!

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Art Fairs, Business, Exhibitions, Painting, VideoAlexa Karabin Kleinerart hop, kalamazoo, michigan, grand rapids, battle creek, artist, detroit, chicago, saic, nest, nature artist, nature center, artwork, gold, art show, sparkle art, glitter girlComment
Luna
Luna
Artwork For Sale, Business, Video, Portfolio, Painting, News, New WorkAlexa Karabin Kleinerartwork, portrait, painting, gold, gilded, kalamazoo, artist, glitter girl, sparkle art, ornate, contemporary
The Nest
The Nest

Alexa Karabin

The Nest

Handmade Watercolor, Deer Hair, Rubies, 24k Gold Leaf, Geodes, Glass on Panel

20''x20''

$6,000

 

Statement for the Nest:

First, there was the Deer. A painting that was inspired by an incident that involved a deer that was shot on my property, and the subsequent months that followed, watching the animal return to the earth. When only fur was left, I collected some, but left most of it. The day after I collected the fur, a giant oak tree fell on where the body once rested. Months later, in early spring, the pandemic had started and I spent more than a month inside. Scared. Finally, I forced myself to go outside and explore the woods. And that is when I found it. A bird had made a nest out of deer fur! The Deer’s fur. This piece was inspired by the feelings I had at that moment of discovery. 

 

Using a variety of techniques, I create artworks that explore themes of natural history, historical occurrence, memory, and cycles. My materials are found and handmade—my most precious material is my grandmother’s antique jewelry that I crush and use to make handmade watercolors. This piece also includes rubies, emeralds, 24k gold, deer fur, geodes, and glass.

Artwork For Sale, Business, Exhibitions, Painting, Process, Studio, VideoAlexa Karabin Kleinerthe nest, alexa k., artwork, glitter girl, glitter, gold, gilded, artwork for sale, art, mixed media, nested, fetal position, curled up, nature, nest, nature woman, woman of the woods, kalamazoo, michigan, lake michigan