Interview with Karen Alderson

As promised here is the interview with Karen Alderson.

Karen Alderson

Kirsty: So Karen, which do you prefer, ham toastie or cheese toastie?

Karen: Neither, I don’t do bread!

Kirsty: What inspires you in three words?

Karen: Paradox, Power and Intensity.

Kirsty: What was the last thing you dreamt about?

Karen: It was a nightmare actually, there was something about a loss and a threat, it was very frightening, I woke up full of heart pounding fear. I had to get up and get out of bed.

Kirsty: When did you last cry?

Karen: I cry regularly, I am very emotional. It was yesterday listening to a talk on feminism and the loss of sisterhood and the connection of women with women on Woman's Hour on Radio 4.

Kirsty: What makes you laugh?

Karen: Surreal humour, watching people and listening to peoples conversations when you shouldn’t, and odd bits of art, especially when people put it in places you wouldn’t expect.

Kirsty: Describe your workspace or studio?

Karen: I have three rooms in my own house; a textile room, a paint and print room and a thinking room. The thinking room isn’t calm, it’s very colourful, a myriad of colours. I also walk everyday and use that as thinking space too.

Kirsty: How do you come up with the titles of your work?

Karen: They usually present themselves, it’s a meditation process and things just come to me, from my subconscious.

Kirsty: Are there any other artists we must check out

Karen: Doris Salcedo, view her work here

Kirsty: Visually, can you recommend a film?

Karen: I don’t do films.


(I don't do many films either, and am always gettng teased for it! Love Karen all the more now)

Kirsty: How do people get in touch with you?

Karen: They can email me at kalderson1@hotmail.com

Kirsty: What is the most frustrating thing about being an artist?

Karen: I don’t feel frustrated in the main, I feel blessed. But it can be difficult to find work sometimes.

Kirsty: And the best?

Karen: The variety and enabling self expression in other people. I feel like I am touching humanity on a regular and deep level.

And on that wonderful sentence I’m signing off.

Ta Ta

Kirsty