OkEq artist Karin Susan Carmek: Endless possibilities
Karin Susan Carmek is the featured artist at April’s OkEq First Thursday reception and month-long exhibition. Carmek has been active for many years in the Muskogee and Tulsa art communities and has received formal training in painting and drawing.
The many groups and coalitions she supports and is a member of illustrate her ties to the art community: Muskogee Art Guild, Tulsa Artists Guild, Tulsa Art Coalition, Oklahoma Visual Art Coalition and the Tulsa Art Civic Association – where she currently serves as President. She also designed and painted banners for many famous Azalea Festivals organized by Muskogee Parks and Recreation.
Carmek’s work is on display at local businesses in Muskogee at the Muskogee Phoenix newspaper and local Armstrong Bank along with two paintings that are in place on columns at the Muskogee Civic Center. Always varied in her talents, Karin was commissioned by “Women Who Care,” a Muskogee support group for breast cancer patients, to design a logo to promote their fund raising activities.
She also works to support local art organizations by donating her paintings for the “Miniature Paintings 5” x 5” Show” presented by Tulsa Artists Coalition and she shows at the “Philbrook’s Festival of Trees,” which benefits Philbrook’s exhibition series, educational and public programs, and operations. You may have also seen her work in the October “Utica Square Art Show.”
The style of her work has changed over the years. She moved away from strictly traditional realistic painting to soft contemporary paintings. “I enjoy the freedom of both contemporary and abstract painting; combined, I can blend the reality with my fantasy. Both styles allow me to be spontaneous, to play with colors and forms, to use different materials, to express my feelings. The possibilities in the abstract painting are endless,” says Carmek. “One of my goals in my artistic activity is to contribute to the cultural life of the community where I live – art will be always part of my life.”
The show begins with a reception on Thursday, April 2 from 6-9pm at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, 621 E. 4th St., in downtown Tulsa. There will be a door prize drawn of the artist’s work; the show continues throughout the month. www.okeq.org.
Founded by a dedicated group of volunteers in 1980, Oklahomans for Equality/OkEq is Oklahoma’s oldest gay rights organization. From testing for HIV/AIDS and hosting the annual Tulsa Pride and Diversity Celebration to operating the Equality Center and documenting the Tulsa LGBT community’s rich history, OkEq works for social justice and full inclusion for Oklahoma’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens and their allies. For more information, see www.okeq.org.
The Gayly – April 1, 2015 @ 11:20am.