Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine

Art TRADER
m a g a z i n e
Karen Cattoire
Interviewed by Andrea Melione
Karen Cattoire, a fiber artist, paints with her thread, adds sparkle with beads and uses mirrors to create her
magic. So much emotion can be expressed through pure color. Her art can evoke the joy of sunshine on the
skin, the mystery of the ocean depths and the exotic scent of spices at a Middle Eastern marketplace. In this
issue, Karen shares with us her experiences and inspirations.
Tell us a little about yourself.
Karen: Well... I am French, 40, and I live on a wonderful, peaceful, paradise-like island in the South Pacific
Ocean, in the archipelago of Vanuatu. I settled there last year in November, and before that, for 15 years or
so, I was a kind of globetrotter! I have been living in Sri Lanka for 3 years; before that, I was in Malaysia for 7
years, and before that again, I was in Taiwan for 3 Years. I am married to the most adorable husband I could
ever dream of, with no children, and happiness all around me! Two years ago, I created a company dedicated
to gift wrapping made of fabric (mostly raw silk and organdy), but the political disastrous condition of Sri Lanka
led us to leave the country before the company really took off! So, here I am, dedicating all my time to my new
passion, creative contemporary fiber art, and I just love it!
Have you had any formal training in art?
Karen: Not at all! Would you believe me if I told you that I was “stapling” my trousers’ hem 4 years ago? Never
touched a needle in my life before creating my company. And I was an absolute beginner in the beading field
when I started the challenge called Beading Journal Project inspired by Robin Atkins in June 2007! Everything
I learned was from the Internet, even my very first chain stitch! I got it from the “In a Minute Ago” of Sharon B.!
Then, after getting into this field of bead and fabric, I attended training in France for one week, and that was
that! Surfing on the Web is just a marvelous trip where you find all the answers to your questions. It is just
limitless! I am seeking new techniques on the web every day, and I really enjoy experimenting all these new
techniques and materials on my own. I think it is the best method for me to learn by myself in a remote place
where only coconuts and seashells are available for creating! Anyway, I think I would be a very bad pupil, as I
am reluctant to any reproduction of a model, or copying an existing design! It would work for 3 minutes... and
then, I slip away and do it my way! Of course, to learn on my own is time consuming, but I guess this way I
got less influenced by “the way it should be.” I am not too fond of the standards and traditional ways of doing
things, and this is why I feel so at ease with art and mixed media; I can get all the freedom I want!
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