Karen Rips - Thousand Oaks, CA

1.  What do you call yourself - art wise?  There's been a lot of talk in the  blogosphere about defining ourselves, and I vacillate between textile artist and fiber artist although regardless of the adjective, I am an artist.  
2.  How do you jump start your creativity when you are in a slump?   Fortunately, the last few years have been very productive for me and I've had more ideas than time to explore them.  I keep an idea book with photos, drawings, and notes in it that I refer to when I'm stuck.
3.  If money wasn't an issue, what would you do with your art?  Philanthropy aside, I don’t think I would change anything.
4. Do you keep a sketchbook, journal, etc.? I keep an idea book but don’t seem to have the discipline to do daily sketches or journaling, which is probably to my detriment as I think it would make me a better artist.
5. Where can people see your other work this year? shows, books, magazines, etc.  I am proud to be a co-author of the just published book, “Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge.”
6. Do you teach? Where?   I don’t teach, I don’t think I have the patience for it.
7. Is there a particular artist who had influenced you in your art life? and why? Jean Ray Laury opened  up the world of art quilting for me.  I took a class from her years ago in Pasadena, California, and still refer to her books when I want to go back to the roots of what I do.
8. Where or what show do you hope your work will be in someday?  I know that it is important artistically to be seen and recognized, yet at this moment I am not show oriented.  This  invitational is the only show that I’ve entered in the last year.  I think long term I would love to see my work hanging in a gallery setting.
9. Describe your studio workspace. My work space is fairly large, having appropriated the former bonus room in our house.  I have a wet area with two sinks and a dry area with design walls.
10.  What 3 tools could you not live without?  Does a Bernina count as a tool?  That, my design wall, and my camera are the tools I use the  most.
11.  What drives you to make the work that you do?  What drives me is the desire to interpret what I see into my own vision.
12.  How do you balance your life?  I’m lucky to have a husband who is a glass artist, so we each have our own focus during the day.

http://fiberartmusings.blogspot.com/