We recently connected with Karen Payton and have shared our conversation below.

Karen, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My artwork is not a painting, it’s not a quilt, it’s not watercolor…so I get asked all the time, how did you come about doing this style? It was a long and winding path. I studied textiles in college and fell in love with embroidery. After many years of making small, stitched pieces I started to research ways to make my work larger. I started to experiment with applique around my embroidered faces. Then I developed all hand pain from the stitching so I took a few lessons to get better at drawing and started to color on top of fabric. All of this gets combined together to make my fabric art portraits and other pieces.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

You know that feeling when when you are truly connected to spirit and you want to hold on to the magic?

Well that’s kinda how my art started. ​

As a teenager I fell in love with the music, colors and style of the hippie movement and I never really let that go.

I try to live a life that is centered on love, joy and devotion.

But it’s hard!

And we all need reminders….so I create art that will puts us all back into that vibration. While I am sewing, dying or coloring my fabric pieces, I am in my space of perfect harmony. All of that gets woven into the threads and placed into the home of the buyers.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had a long period in my life when I forgot I was an artist. I was caught up in being a mom, a corporate assistant and a wife. I was in survival mode and just trying to do my best for my family. I hosted a vision board workshop at my house and the facilitator of the event saw my art in the dining room and was shocked to hear that I was no longer creating.

She actually yelled at me.

I was shocked and hurt and defensive and my head was filled with negative self talk…if I don’t work hard, how will we afford college?….she just doesn’t get it, how dare she yell at me in my house!

But a few weeks later, I realized she was right.

I went part time and little by little started to create again.

It was amazing how the joy trickled back into my life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I’m very driven by the idea of art as an act of service. I have been blessed with love my whole life. I am surrounded by it and I put it into everything I do. I give away art when I can. I ask the universe all the time to lead me on the right path. I try my hardest to focus on giving back, spreading joy and filling homes with groovy love.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.karenpayton.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenpaytonartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenPaytonArt/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW0BYaxw0F6DYvUUbnZzi-Q