Born in the lush, gently rolling farmlands
of western Michigan, Karen VanDam Michmerhuizen was early on aware of
the constant interplay of light and shadow caused by the clouds which
continually form and drift ashore along the vast expanse of Lake Michigan.
The vivid richness of Michigan's four distinct seasons formed a lavish
palette that delighted her senses and called her to brush and canvas.
But it was only after raising four children and leaving a career as an
academic secretary that she began devoting full-time to her artistic
endeavors. Today she and her husband plan their travels to specific painting
locations, and in between she spends much time outdoors either in her
spectacular garden or various close-to-home scenic locals, capturing
the lights and colors she so admired as a child.
She has attended several workshops, including the Plein Air Painters of America Workshop in Old Lyme, Connecticut in 2003. There she worked with Matt Smith, Lynn Gertenbach and Kevin MacPherson. Workshops in Michigan include instruction with Ken Cadwallader, Oxbow School of Art on the Meadow with James Brandess, class instruction with Bruce McCombs at Hope College and seminars with Diane VanNoord and Pierre Bittar. In October 2007 Karen attended a workshop with Albert Handell and the Putney Painters in Putney, Vermont. She will be the Artist-in-Residence at the Terrace Inn, Bay View, Michigan in July 2008 and in August will be working with Camille Prezwodek in a week-long workshop in Easton, Maryland.
With gallery affiliations out of state and also because the name Michmerhuizen is difficult to spell, pronounce and remember, she has recently chosen to use her maiden name VanDam as her artistic signature.
Artist's StatementWhen I view the world in which we live, the possibilities for painting are both astounding and challenging. Shorelines, country scenes and gardens are some of my favorite venues. I like to observe light and shadow, color and shape at varying times of the day for the best light for plein air painting. A recent change from brushes to palette knife has given me new excitement and artistic opportunities for putting oil on canvas. When painting, my ideal is to make the viewer feel he or she has also been or would like to be at the same spot, to feel the sun, hear the waves, or smell the flowers. Life's journey has many events and turns and I am grateful for each one. A successful marriage and a parent of four children, a position as an academic secretary, and now devoting much of my time to the joy of art, have all brought fulfillment and pleasure to me. My thanks are to God for the gift of artistic ability. If I am successful as an artist it is because He has given me the desire to continue the learning process for as long as I am able. There is a need in my soul, whether it is gardening or painting, to help in some small way to make the world a more beautiful and peaceful place. Spending time with my grandchildren and spoiling them just a wee bit is also a good thing. |
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Galleries
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© 2007 Riverwalk Studio - michmer@charter.net