We were lucky to catch up with K Daphnae Koop recently and have shared our conversation below.

K Daphnae, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

My worst – and best – investment was participating in four major fine art fairs in 2023. In addition to being a fine artist, I have had a small private practice doing Craniosacral Therapy for over 30 years. I retired and closed my office in April, and switched my focus to pursuing my art full time. One of my first steps was to apply to Superfine and The Other Art Fair to participate in their national shows.

I was accepted into four, and over the summer I packed my car and drove back and forth from Minneapolis to Savannah, Dallas, Chicago and New York City. It is exhausting and expensive to participate – long days of driving are followed by set up and install, then four grueling days of extended hours and a constant stream of people, followed by the the drive back home.

My sales were disappointing, and I did not break even on the shows. I was not, however, disappointed overall. On a purely business note. I learned that the art fair circuit is not my market – my pieces are too unusual, and far too time consuming, to be an easy sell at such venues. This option is now off the list, freeing me to focus on other avenues.

As an artist, I was able to expose my work to new audiences, and was surprised and delighted to see my pieces resonate powerfully with a totally different demographic – reinforcing that my work indeed has a broad and universal appeal. I had several people shed tears at the emotional depth my work triggered in them, and I had heartfelt conversations that began with my art and moved to much broader and deeper topics.

I have always wanted to use my unusual mix of materials and techniques to create art that touches the viewer on a very deep level, and my art fair experience was totally affirming. And as a lovely bonus, I was commissioned to do a series of five pieces a year later by a visitor to the New York City show!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I don’t remember a time when I was not working with my hands. Creating art is simply the adult version of my crafting as a child, and the time spent and focus on creative pursuits has not really changed from when I was young.

I create mixed media paintings on carved wood, often with shattered glass or found object inlay. My materials are all repurposed and recycled, and add their scars and broken-ness to the work. Taking what our culture would ignore or throw away, and elevating it – making it into something new and beautiful – is an essential focus and inspiration. I see my pieces as metaphors for each of us, as we walk through our days in beauty and grace while carrying our own scars and histories.

My work is an unusual mix of materials, shape, color, and texture. With every piece, I strive to create work that resonates on a level deeper than words or simple visuals; art that whispers to the viewer what words cannot always say. When I am working in my studio, I sink into my deepest and most meditative state, and I focus that energy into the work along with every stroke of the brush. I strive to make art that allows people to glimpse a bit of the beyond, and to waken to their true, infinite selves.

In many ways, when I sink into my deepest self, I am becoming a conduit, and offering what flows through me to the viewer and collector of my work. And when collectors acquire my work, they’re not just buying a piece of art, they’re receiving an energetic imprint of that deep, soul-level experience.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In the summer of 2024, I received a commission request just after being diagnosed with cancer. My initial reaction was a resounding “No” and an overwhelming feeling that it would all be too much.

Instead, I said yes, and started planning the creation of five pieces. I had to figure out how to build several shapes I had never built before, and much of my first round of chemotherapy was spent with sketchbook in hand plotting the construction. Through the months of my treatment, I put on my studio clothes and just showed up to work on the series no matter how I was feeling.

As an artist and a creative person, the process of making art takes over and carries me through the minutes and hours that I spend in the studio. That did not change with the challenges of my treatment – if anything, the creative process carried me through that as well.

A lesson I learned long ago – Just Say Yes, and especially in this case, I am so glad I did.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to create work that moves people, that offers itself as a bridge between the seen and unseen worlds. The unusual visuals of my work invites the viewer to pause – initially to consider how it looks and what it is made of – but then – there is a feeling created by the colors and textures that hints at the vast, quiet space that lives beneath our daily experiences.

We all have a deep inner stillness, and we all have ways to access our own depths. In my paintings, I strive to create visual reminders, or portals, to the deeper current running beneath our everyday lives. My intention is to build pieces that – like a meditation to hang on the wall – invite the viewer to drop beneath the surface of things and remember their own infinite nature.

I strive to create art that is a conversation with the invisible – a bridge that connects the material world to something more expansive; art that carries an energy of quiet remembrance and extends an invitation to sink a little deeper, and to see a little beyond.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://followthemuse.com/k-daphnae-koop
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kdaphnaekoopartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kdaphnaekoop
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-daphnae-koop/

Image Credits

Sarah Whiting Photographic