Type of work: drawings, cards, sculpture

Business Name: karen klein, ink

The source of my drawings is the human body and its emotional gestures. Although the images in my drawings are recognizable, they are not strictly representational. No attempt is made to give a context for the figure; the context is in the viewer’s mind. Focusing on the body is both a personal and political act for me. This choice emphasizes the body’s importance as the ground of our being, its beauties and energies in motion and in repose, its plea to us to honor and protect the bodies of others as well as our own.

Description of work

My focus is on line. I work with a live model, my partner in the enterprise, and draw freehand, very rapidly with flowing ink. The interaction between the model’s gestures and my eye and hand gives the drawings their energy. I don’t do any preliminary sketching or underdrawing with pencil. Working this way is a challenge and ink is unforgiving; any mistake in line and I can’t use the drawing. My goal is to give the most information about the figure with a minimum of marks. Later, I transform some of the figures with tattoos in colored inks.

Price range

$2.00--cards(reproduction of original drawings) —$450.00 framed original drawings

Contact information

Phone: 781-736-2145

e-mail: : kklein@brandeis.edu

Seated Man II
India ink on BFK Rives, 30 x 22
Price: $400.00(framed); $200.00(unframed)

Untitled figure drawing
India ink on BFK Rives, 30 x 22
in the collection of Annie Farrell

Untitled figure drawing
India ink on BFK Rives, 30 x 22
in the collection of Anja Langbein

Tattoo XI
India ink and colored inks on BFK Rives, 28 x 20
Price: $450.00(framed); $250.00(unframed)