C. Emerson Fine Arts

Tea January 11- February 23, 2008

Opening Reception Friday January 11, 2008 6-9 PM Free and Open to Public

Closing Reception Friday February 22, 2008 6-9 PM Free and Open to Public

Karen Solomon

Historically, the ambiguity of tea to conceal and reveal beauty has triggered the words of poets, caused the creation of the perfect vessel, and has given ritual to life. Life becomes this ritual through the flow of body, mind and spirit. The cup with its purity of form and color; and the perfection of the liquid enhances the ritual with order, balance, harmony, and color. Thus the art of tea.

As I embarked upon the ritual of tea (My Life), I spilled my tea! As I wiped up the spill I discovered special properties: the beauty of transparency and color.

My objective is to convert the tea stain with its properties into a landscape with an Asian sensibility, by adding color through the process of mixing water soluble ink into the tea. Since I am revealing and concealing beauty, I plan to discipline the work on paper with a certain economy creating order, balance, texture and color. Within the landscape I will integrate the words of poets and scholars. Using economy and beauty I will seek to create visually my own sensibility of ritual.

Born: February 19, 1943 in Charleston, South Carolina. Raised in Florida

Education: M.F.A. University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida Studio (Multimedia) August, 1997

Studied - University of South Florida School of Architecture, Tampa, Florida

Studied - University of South Florida Dance Department, Tampa, Florida Ballet

B.A. University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida: received a degree in theater, scene and costume design

Studied - University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, studied: Theater performance and costume design

General studies - St. Petersburg Junior College, St. Petersburg, Florida

Work: Diversified theater background both in performance (choreography, dance, acting, and directing) and

                         design (costumes, sets, and billboards).

                         Worked as a freelance interior designer, problem solver with innovative design concepts

Teaching

Experience: Drawing I, Fall, 1995, University of South Florida

                         Introduction to Art, 1996-1997, University of South Florida

                         Design 2-D, 1997-1998, Hillsborough Community College

                         Drawing and Art Appreciation, Spring 1999, Hillsborough Community College

                         Art Appreciation, Fall 1999, Hillsborough Community College

                         Visual Literacy, Fall 2000 and Spring 2001, University of Tampa

Mayoral Beautification (invited by City of Tampa to participate in charity demonstration), Spring 2003,
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center

Curatorial
Experience: Centre Gallery (curatorial installation), Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus: several

                         exhibitions of which include the Women’s Faculty Show

                        Studio Gallery on Azeele, Tampa, FL, coordinator of numerous exhibitions, curated and installed

numerous exhibitions over a period of 3 ½ years

Exhibitions: Group Exhibitions:

                      Galerie Nouvel Esprit: drawings

                      U.S.F. Centre Gallery - Phyllis P. Marshall Center: MFA group show - SFWG Personals: creation of walls
                      off the wall, 3-D work

Spring, 1995 - University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Annual Juried Student
Art Exhibition. Juror: Mary Beth Edelson.

Spring, 1997 - University of South Florida, Juried Sculptured Show, Centre Gallery
Juror: Steve Barry.

                      Spring, 1997 - All Florida Show. Juror: Ken Rollins, Gulf Coast Arts Center. Merit Award
                      received for painting.

                      Fall, 1997 - Members' Juried Show Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida. Juror: Jack King Sculptor, and

Chairman of the Art Department at University of Tampa

Spring, 1998 - Florida Emerging Artists, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida. (Invited)

Spring, 1998 - Juried Members Show Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida. Juror: Professor
Karen Fraser, Art History USF.

Spring, 1998 - sHotel(L), June 27, 1998, Tahitian Inn. Invited by J.S.G. Boggs

Fall, 1998 - Jacobson Department Store. By invitation

                      Fall, 1998 through Spring, 1999 - Tampa Chamber of Commerce

                      Winter, 1998 through Spring, 1999 - Group Shows Continued

                      Hillsborough Community College Ybor Campus Women’s Faculty Show

                      Invited to participate in a doll show - Mahaffey Theatre Gallery (St. Petersburg Performing Arts Facility)

1999 “Las Damas” Exhibition - Drawings and Monotype Prints Juried Show... Juror Maggie Newman

                      2000-2001, “Las Damas,” Exhibition - oil/acrylic painting collagraph print

                      National Print Show - Lakeland, Florida Monotype Linoprint.

                      Studio Gallery On Azeele participated by invitation in a post MFA group show

2000-2001 - Covivant - “Works About Love,” curated by Professor Diane Elmeer, University of South Florida

2002 - “Las Damas,” Sunday in the Arts - oil pastel on paper, pastel on paper

March 2002 - Women’s Exhibition, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida - juried entry

April/May 2002 - Member’s Exhibits, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida

May 2003 - Juried show, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida

June 2003 - Juried show, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida

Arts on the Park - several exhibits in which I have received awards (through 2007)

“Las Damas,” Sunday in the Arts - participated (through 2007)

January 2008 - Will jury show, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, Florida

Solo Exhibitions: Spring, 1996 - Northwest Regional Branch Library, 15610 Premier Drive, Tampa, Florida
33624: Thematic development for image of homelessness as a state of being

1996 - U.S.F. Centre Gallery - Phyllis P. Marshall Center: Tumbling Through Existence (the room

was wrapped with one ontinuous image interrupted by black canvases. Suspended from the ceiling were

biomorphic embryonic forms which interacted with the continuous images on the gallery walls.

                          April, 1997 - U.S.F. Contemporary Gallery Teaching Facility in Fine Arts. MFA Thesis Show:
                          Tumbling Through Existence. The exhibition consisted of a polyptych wall installation
                          measuring 20 1/2 width x 9' and four large canvases (7' x 8'10", 7' x 4'5", 7' x 4'5" and 7'x 4'5").

Spring, 1998 - Hillsborough Community College Ybor Campus Gallery

Spring 2000 - TECO (Mother Courage - inspired by Brecht’s play)

January 2002 - St. Petersburg Little Theater (Mother Courage)

May/June 2003 - The Bay Street Gallery (Mother Courage)

Awards: Have received numerous awards in participation of many juried exhibitions, of which are inclusive of:

Merit Award:       All Florida Show, Ken Rollins: juror
                         Women’s Exhibition (Arts on the Park) April/May 2002
                         Arts on the Park, June 2003

Award
of Excellence:     Members Juried Show and All-Media Art Competition (Arts on the Park)

Judge’s Award: Judge’s Choice, March Women’s Exhibit (Arts on the Park)

  News Releases: Tampa Tribune, St. Petersburg Times, Weekly Planet, U.S.F. Oracle, and Lakeland Newspaper
                           Hawkeye: Works Publisher - 9 Drawings of Homeless Landscape
                           3 Panel Paintings - Oil - 8" x 12"

Published              Reaction/Prognosis

Collections Private collections: Tampa Bay, Chicago, New York and Arizona

Public collections: Law firms located in the Tampa Bay area.
New York- NYU Law School