Karin Calabrese
senior, painting, B.F.A.
Billings, MT
By Carmen Price, University Communications and Marketing
Why do you make art?
鈥淢y mother was an artist, so I grew up around art. As long as I can remember, I鈥檝e been painting. Always. Now later in life, I decided I didn鈥檛 want to not follow my passion and do something just for the money. So, I sold my business of 10 years to follow my heart and do what makes me happy, which is making art. 鈥�
What inspires your art?
鈥淚 draw on personal experiences. I think art is all about self-expression鈥攚hat we feel, what we experience鈥攁nd then communicating that. Art is its own form of language.
鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 hard to convey these experiences, but that is just another reason why I make art. Sometimes you get a sensation when you look at a piece or create a piece, a feeling beyond words. Although, my art history teacher would say that that is why we are here: to verbalize that feeling and experience.鈥�
What do you find most rewarding about being an artist?
鈥淭here is a certain thing that happens when you鈥檙e engaged with art. It sings to your heart. It鈥檚 a connection with the medium, but also a connection with the audience. I鈥檝e learned making art isn鈥檛 just for you. It鈥檚 also about evoking some kind of response from others.鈥�
鈥淚 hope people receive my art as encouragement. For me art is healing. I hope to speak to people who are going through hard times.鈥�
One of your watercolor paintings was recently selected for the cover art for the annual
chancellor鈥檚 holiday card. Can you describe the piece?
鈥淭he painting is titled 鈥楻ebirth.鈥� It was from a series following my mother鈥檚 recent passing. I walked my mother through Hospice, and watched her soul leaving, in my estimation. The piece really is about her soul leaving. The dove represents her leaving us and going to heaven, being in the presence of God. It鈥檚 something horrific in humanity that we have to experience death, but there can be joy in it too. And that鈥檚 where rebirth comes in.鈥�
鈥淭here is beauty in the everyday, and beauty in the trials and tragedies in life.鈥�
Did you find it daunting as a nontraditional student to come back to school?
鈥淵es, definitely. I was worried about how I would fit in, if I鈥檇 be able to write papers again and how I would keep up with everything. But I got over that. I thought I鈥檇 be the old lady, but that鈥檚 not the case. One young lady even said to me, 鈥榊ou know, sometimes I forget that you鈥檙e old. You鈥檙e just like one of us.鈥� That was like one of the best compliments ever.鈥�
鈥淭here are students who really engage in and understand the value of an education. But, I think that as you mature, you understand it even more so.鈥�
Did your family support your decision to sell your business to pursue your art degree?
鈥淢y husband and three daughters (ages 22, 25, and 26) have all been very supportive. I think it鈥檚 important to them that I鈥檓 happy. One daughter said to me, 鈥業鈥檓 so glad that you鈥檙e happy.鈥欌��
鈥淚 think overall they鈥檙e also really proud. My daughters have always inspired me, and now I think maybe I鈥檓 an inspiration for them that I鈥檓 following my heart and passion.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e always told them to follow their hearts and to find out who they are. There is something inside us all and something we are all made to do.鈥�
