Karen Hansen Gray                                                                                                         www.karenhansengray.com

Artist Statement

Evolution is a prevalent  theme in my current work.  I am intrigued by how and why living organisms adapt and survive,  re-examining  evolution in light of genetic discoveries,  and ultimately questioning  my own reality in the web of life.  I attempt to explore this theme through images; sometimes layered and complex, and at other times, symbolic and simple.

The Genera Series are monoprints* motivated by the two-hundredth anniversary in 2009 of Charles Darwin’s birth.  The series is a rumination on the theory of evolution; overlaying a chimpanzee skeleton with an inclining human body, showing a finch donning the mask of its altered brother,  and revealing Darwin’s reflection on this special occasion.

*A monoprint is one made from a plate with a reproducible image, but inked to produce a unique print.

I  examine three evolutionary paths in my work:

The first path explores the hypothesis that human evolution is something  we can control through our chosen behavior.  If we mate with an intelligent partner, our offspring will be smarter, or taller, or faster, as the case may be.  Evolution is treated as if each generation was a blueprint to be reworked by us,  regardless of the consequences.  The Iso Series are monoprints in which a bowing human form composed of contour lines  is repeated like a cookie cutter.  Iso means equal,  although in this series,  the original  lines were drawn freehand and thus flawed,  leading  to unpredictable outcomes in reproduction.

 The next  path suggests evolution is manipulated both by nature and the environment.  The influential entity could be as grand as the sky, the stars, the moon, and the earth, or as intimate as culture, language, religion, and spirituality.  The Shiva Series are monoprints  inspired by  auspicious Shiva who always adorns his coiled hair with a crescent moon.  Lunar phases are transformative and mark the cycle of time.  Also, Shiva represents a Supreme God whose influence has the power to convert our character, form, and function in this world.

The third path negates our evolution as whole beings, or rather proposes that it is our DNA which evolves independently and explicitly for the purpose of its own propagation and survival.  In The Selfish Gene Series of gouache paintings, the primordial struggle is happening but at the cellular level, completely out of our hands, and we are just along for the ride as a vessel.   

Artist Bio

Karen Hansen Gray is an artist exploring the theme of evolution through printmaking, painting, and sculpture.  She has studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and the California College of the Arts.  Karen has resided and traveled in many countries,  from Afghanistan to Vietnam, but always returns to San Francisco to live and create art.  Her work has been shown at the Mendocino Art Center Gallery, the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, City Art Gallery in S.F., Diego Rivera Gallery in S.F., and Espacio Palleros in Buenos Aires.

Karen attends northern California’s Burning Man festival and is a huge fan of the Cubitron 😉  You may contact her or find more of her work online at www.karenhansengray.com

Her stories about her dogs will always endure. Miss Nancy, “Happy Days” Teacher

of teachers, was tough as nails, with a tender heart. Her innovations, signature style, and new takes on old traditional games, holiday fun, and classical art projects with young children set precedents in the little red and yellow school, set back and nestled in a cluster of trees.

When she first came three decades earlier, it was not uncommon to witness more rural sights, horses and their owners sauntering in the open green, and over golden hillsides. Through the generations, she made the “blarney stone”, the Rainbow Bridge and the Lone Ranger come alive, as well as “save the earth” day. Each year she hid magical dinosaur eggs for the children to find, crack open, and to their delight discover a tiny toy dinosaur hidden inside. She called plastic bags “the scourge of the earth.”

Music time with her was amazing as she held captive a group of children as young as two years old with her spontaneous singing, expressive dialogue, in-between songs, and authenticity. Her charisma won over the shyest and newest students. Also, not to be forgotten, her black and white movies from the fifties about horses, cowboys, and an Indian named, “Tonto.” She had the gift of narration, and a way with the remote that added to the fun; with the expertise and zeal of a tour guide on a colorful safari, she transitioned her young audience from one scene to another, keeping the spark of their interest alive; not an easy feat with 2-4 year old viewers.

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A hands-on teacher, witty, passionate, and descriptive, she taught the children life lessons about accountability, the treasures of the rain forests, and compassion toward the smallest of creatures, along with their “A, B, and C’s.” Hers was the first face parents saw, and the first voice they heard greeting them, as they dropped off their little ones in the early morning hours. When a child came in downcast, or tearful, she cheered or silenced them with an interesting fact, authentic joke, or anecdote that would put Mom or Dad at ease, as well, and smiles on everyone’s faces.

With her wide range in music, and appreciation for the classics, we were all treated to oldies, bagpipes, cowboy favorites, and hauntingly beautiful music, such

as the theme to “Dancing with Wolves,” and new sounds from old cultural icons, such as Paul McCartney during his special tour of London.

Miss Nancy stunned, educated, and fascinated parents and staff along with the students, as she was clued in about the latest in animal stories, stranger than life tales gathered from her own personal life, and international news. Everyone remembers her openness, memory and eclectic knowledge of even the smallest details.

All of us will grieve for Miss Nancy, and remember her with tears, special stories, and humor. I share my condolences with her family, and stand in unity with the community of parents and generations of children who have loved her.  

We, her friends and fellow teachers, will cherish her, admire her contributions, and celebrate her pioneer spirit. As both a friend and co-teacher, I personally enjoyed working with her, gleaning new ideas, sharing laughs, and learning something new from her each and every day. We love you Miss Nancy!

                                                                                              Cynthia Lamanna

Cynthia Lamanna honors the memory of all dedicated, creative, hardworking teachers. She may be reached at cynthialamanna@yahoo.com