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It is my pleasure to introduce you to Karen Opp, an illustrator and photographer who recently opened an Etsy shop. Her beautiful botanticals are what first caught my eye. I love this lily of the valley and these pixie cups in particular. Enjoy her inspiring interview below, and be sure to visit her lovely shop and blog!
Thanks for sharing with us, Karen!
• Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.
My name is Karen Opp. I'm originally from Dallas, Texas but have lived in central Missouri since 1991. I've always been drawn to Nature and really started to get into doing botanical illustration after moving to Missouri. There were a lot of plants I wasn't familiar with, and the guidebooks were...well, shall we say "less than helpful". So I started drawing and painting my own illustrations, hoping to preserve what I was seeing until I could identify it. I started doing free-lance work in 1999, have done work for both private and commercial clients and had some work published in "The Gardener" magazine's first issue! In 2007, after spending some time in Ireland, I found myself drawn to photography and that's been feeding my soul almost as much as the illustration since then. There's so much beauty around me, and I see beauty in little things, simple things- like a fallen leaf in a nearby creek where I love to walk. Or in sunlight reflecting on glassware in the dish drainer in my sink! As the quote on my bio page says, "In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."
• Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.
My Etsy shop features both my paintings and my photography. The paintings tend to be botanicals, simply presented. The photography tends to be macro work and has a wider range of subject matter. I love to photograph a familiar subject from a little different perspective. To present something I "know" in a whole new light. And I love to shoot "traditional" color subjects in black and white! So, the photography can include everything from those dishes in the drainer, to a shade-pull in a sunlit window, to water in a creek, or my garden flowers. Or the cat. Or Irish landscapes. You just never know.
At this point, the paintings are all originals. I hope to offer prints and cards soon.
• How did you get into your creating? Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story.
How did I get into the creating? I remember sitting down in my parent's den when I was about 13 and drawing a very realistic pencil sketch of a donkey standing in an arched doorway in a Mexican village, courtesy of a photo in National Geographic. That was it. It just downloaded. Never had an art lesson, although I've picked up a lot by observing and learning from other artists. And trial and error! My favorite piece, and the first piece I ever "gave" myself "permission" to keep is a small watercolor of a white crocus. I'd gone through a rough period a few years ago- separation, divorce, school, new job. I didn't paint for a long time. I wondered if it would ever come back. I remember painting this crocus and feeling reconnected to myself again...it's very special to me. (photo attached!)
This is still the only piece I've ever been attached to. People have asked me if it was hard parting with a piece, and my answer is no! I love the idea of a little piece of me going to be with someone who loves my work.
• What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?
The same advice a friend gave me recently, and what I feel in my heart: follow your passion, share it with others, connect with them. Be honorable. The rest will follow. I'm just starting out myself, so I can't prove the validity of my advice, but I feel it's true in my heart.
• Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!
Absolutely! My best friend, a man I've known since I was in high school. He came back into my life last year and we've had the best time getting to know each other again. We share a joyful spirit, he's a wonderful sounding board for ideas, and an unconditional support.
I'd also have to say that my 4 daughters inspire me, each in their own way. All are creative and delightful young women.
• Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!
Tolkein's Lord of the Rings series has been a perennial favorite since my fifth grade teacher read us The Hobbit in class. His works were a window into fantasy and folklore, beautifully crafted. And filled with a reverence for the Earth and for our connection with it. When I was in Ireland, I thought a lot about Tolkein and Middle Earth...I actually think of it anytime I step out my door into the cool grass in my bare feet!
• What is your favorite handmade treasure?
My name is Karen Opp. I'm originally from Dallas, Texas but have lived in central Missouri since 1991. I've always been drawn to Nature and really started to get into doing botanical illustration after moving to Missouri. There were a lot of plants I wasn't familiar with, and the guidebooks were...well, shall we say "less than helpful". So I started drawing and painting my own illustrations, hoping to preserve what I was seeing until I could identify it. I started doing free-lance work in 1999, have done work for both private and commercial clients and had some work published in "The Gardener" magazine's first issue! In 2007, after spending some time in Ireland, I found myself drawn to photography and that's been feeding my soul almost as much as the illustration since then. There's so much beauty around me, and I see beauty in little things, simple things- like a fallen leaf in a nearby creek where I love to walk. Or in sunlight reflecting on glassware in the dish drainer in my sink! As the quote on my bio page says, "In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."
• Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.
My Etsy shop features both my paintings and my photography. The paintings tend to be botanicals, simply presented. The photography tends to be macro work and has a wider range of subject matter. I love to photograph a familiar subject from a little different perspective. To present something I "know" in a whole new light. And I love to shoot "traditional" color subjects in black and white! So, the photography can include everything from those dishes in the drainer, to a shade-pull in a sunlit window, to water in a creek, or my garden flowers. Or the cat. Or Irish landscapes. You just never know.
At this point, the paintings are all originals. I hope to offer prints and cards soon.
• How did you get into your creating? Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story.
How did I get into the creating? I remember sitting down in my parent's den when I was about 13 and drawing a very realistic pencil sketch of a donkey standing in an arched doorway in a Mexican village, courtesy of a photo in National Geographic. That was it. It just downloaded. Never had an art lesson, although I've picked up a lot by observing and learning from other artists. And trial and error! My favorite piece, and the first piece I ever "gave" myself "permission" to keep is a small watercolor of a white crocus. I'd gone through a rough period a few years ago- separation, divorce, school, new job. I didn't paint for a long time. I wondered if it would ever come back. I remember painting this crocus and feeling reconnected to myself again...it's very special to me. (photo attached!)
This is still the only piece I've ever been attached to. People have asked me if it was hard parting with a piece, and my answer is no! I love the idea of a little piece of me going to be with someone who loves my work.
• What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?
The same advice a friend gave me recently, and what I feel in my heart: follow your passion, share it with others, connect with them. Be honorable. The rest will follow. I'm just starting out myself, so I can't prove the validity of my advice, but I feel it's true in my heart.
• Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!
Absolutely! My best friend, a man I've known since I was in high school. He came back into my life last year and we've had the best time getting to know each other again. We share a joyful spirit, he's a wonderful sounding board for ideas, and an unconditional support.
I'd also have to say that my 4 daughters inspire me, each in their own way. All are creative and delightful young women.
• Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!
Tolkein's Lord of the Rings series has been a perennial favorite since my fifth grade teacher read us The Hobbit in class. His works were a window into fantasy and folklore, beautifully crafted. And filled with a reverence for the Earth and for our connection with it. When I was in Ireland, I thought a lot about Tolkein and Middle Earth...I actually think of it anytime I step out my door into the cool grass in my bare feet!
• What is your favorite handmade treasure?
Beaded earrings my daughter made me for Mother's Day :-)
• Do you have any suggestions for creatively weathering these tough economic times? How are you creatively making the best of it?
This is an interesting question, because I was just laid off from my day job again a couple of weeks ago. Second time for me in two years, different jobs. I will tell you this: it's true that what seems like an awful thing at the time can be the very best thing that ever happened to you. I don't know how this will all work out, but both layoffs have focused me more on my creative side. They've been tremendous periods of growth. I'm an optimist at heart, the joyful spirit's not a put on. I really, truly believe that when I lead with my strength, which is the joy and wonder I think comes through in my artwork and photography, that good will follow.
My suggestion to others about creatively weathering this storm is the same advice I give to myself. Have faith in yourself, in your creativity, in your passion. Honor it, nurture it, invest in yourself and in what makes your soul sing. How you do it is up to you, just do it!
• Do you have any suggestions for creatively weathering these tough economic times? How are you creatively making the best of it?
This is an interesting question, because I was just laid off from my day job again a couple of weeks ago. Second time for me in two years, different jobs. I will tell you this: it's true that what seems like an awful thing at the time can be the very best thing that ever happened to you. I don't know how this will all work out, but both layoffs have focused me more on my creative side. They've been tremendous periods of growth. I'm an optimist at heart, the joyful spirit's not a put on. I really, truly believe that when I lead with my strength, which is the joy and wonder I think comes through in my artwork and photography, that good will follow.
My suggestion to others about creatively weathering this storm is the same advice I give to myself. Have faith in yourself, in your creativity, in your passion. Honor it, nurture it, invest in yourself and in what makes your soul sing. How you do it is up to you, just do it!
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