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Arts & Entertainment

At the Rust Belt Market: Karianne Spens-Hanna

Karianne Spens-Hanna has a variety of unique pieces. Stop by and check out her work this weekend at Rust Belt Market.

The offers a unique experience for patrons as well as vendors. The new art market is host to more than 60 artists every weekend. Each week, Patch will feature one artist and get a closer view what the heck they do.

Ferndale Patch: Who are you and what do you do?

Karianne Spens-Hanna: I am a fine artist, specializing in painting, drawing and sculpture. My interests include: figure painting, abstracting real life experiences and imagery and examining the reality in which we live using color and form. I am not restricted to creating realistic imagery or creating art that serves a specific function. My passion for natural form and intuition guide my work. I enjoy incorporating 3-dimensional elements with 2-D, using found objects, wax and textures because I believe it evaluates and can alter our relationships to form.

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Ferndale Patch: How did you get your start?

Spens-Hanna: I have been creating my whole life. At any given time, I may be drawing, painting or writing music. Music and art fuel me. They remind me that it is so vital to live passionately.  We all need creative outlets, whatever that may be. I am so grateful for the opportunities to share my gifts and visions with the world. I do not necessarily think that there was a defining moment when I started. I think I have always been in tune with living passionately and creatively-- and paved the life I wanted for myself by staying true to that. Staying true to who I am and what moves me.

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Ferndale Patch: What inspires you?

Spens-Hanna: The natural world has always inspired me. The intricate patterns that I see in nature, and the subtle shifts between light and shadow, warm colors to cool colors fascinate me. I love recreating that in my art. I grew up in a small rural town, which cultivated my love for nature.  I feel at home under an open sky, on horseback or in the woods. The found natural objects that I use in my art are often material I come across while on walks. Certain objects are more appealing to me than others and I like to have a relationship established with the material even before I pick it up from the ground. Something about it has to grab me...inspire me to create.  To enhance the natural beauty.

Ferndale Patch: What is it about the Rust Belt that attracted you to it?

Spens-Hanna: I think it brings positivity and creativity to the community. There are so many talented artists in the Detroit area and this venue is great for showcasing them. Art needs to be nurtured and valued and The Rust Belt is doing a great job of giving artists a platform.  I was attracted to Rust Belt because I believe in the importance of art and the power it has to bring awareness to communities.     

Ferndale Patch: Tell us one thing about your work that would surprise us.

Spens-Hanna: The objects that I use are often very old. I like starting projects knowing that the objects are older than me and hold a piece of history that I may not have directly experienced. For example: I used bark from a tree that is over 200 years old in one of my pieces and while making it, I couldn't help but think that this old Oak Tree had something to teach me. It was living before cars, before phones and before mass production. This bark had seen more time pass than I ever will. It was humbling and inspiring.  

Karianne Spens-Hanna will be at Aug. 6 & 7 and again on Sept 17 & 18. You can also view work on Flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kariannespics.

 

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