MON JARDIN SECRET SERIES 2015-2016
This series of paintings featuring the female figure immersed or intwined flora and fauna: how the feminine nature is reflected in the natural world and the natural world reflects back the inner feminine nature, unknowable and mysterious. This series was inspired by a book called “Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding her Inner French Girl” by Debra Ollivier, that compared how French women viewed themselves vs. American women. She compared the French women’s psyche to French homes: the front of the house was turned away from the street, and towards the inner courtyard or secret garden, which she cultivates like she cultivates her inner self: "She is focused on living her own full life, following her own agenda and cultivating her actual self, rather than reinventing herself or pining away to be someone she's not."
Each piece represents a season of the year, starting with “Beetles Bugs and Butterflies” as Spring.
"Beetles, Bugs + Butterflies: Summer" Acrylic Mixed Media 18" X 24" copyright Karin Bolstad 2015
"Pollination" 18" X 24" Acrylic Mixed Media copyright Karin Bolstad 2016
"Song of Change: Fall" (inspiration: #BlackLivesMatter) Acrylic Mixed Media 18" X 24" copyright Karin Bolstad 2015
"Awake in the Sleeping Garden" 18" X 24" Mixed Media Acrylic Painting copyright 2016