Kendall’s contribution to Park City’s EmPOWERment Program

“I’ve always loved art,” explains Karen Millar Kendall, “I come from a creative family; crafters, professional artists, and hobbyists, it’s always surrounded me. I started my creative journey as an artist around age 8, creating fanciful renditions of vases and flowers in pen and ink with swirly patterns and abstracted ideas.” Her passion for art intensified throughout high school, where Kendall “found my niche in painting portraits of rock stars, particularly my favorite band, Aerosmith!” Pragmatism caused Kendall to set aside her studies of art during college, instead pursuing a teaching degree—“coming from a divorced home, with a non-college education mom, I knew I had to do something more ‘practical’ as her voice resonated loudly in my ear: Be Able To Support Yourself.”

During her 30 year teaching career, Kendall never stopped painting. After retiring, she “really tapped into my artistic nature…I took some classes, and learned to paint realism, but I always leaned toward abstracting whatever it was I painted. I think I just knew what I liked aesthetically, and had to move in that direction, always.” Following her aesthetic instincts led Kendall to her current practice: painting abstracted representations. “I conjure a place, an image, a feeling I’ve had, usually in nature, and work to capture the essence of that place or thing. Although these pieces sometimes seem, outwardly, to be random markings, there is a method to the madness in the laying down of color, texture and movement. [I am] highly motivated by color, [and] the existential elements of place reveal themselves as I paint with an ultimately emotional connection to the work.”

Kendall at the Monster Drawing Rally live art-making event

Kendall’s move to Park City in 2002 was a chance to become “deeply embedded in the artistic community” which, she remarks, “has been such a gift.” She discovered the Park City Artists Association, the Arts Council and the Kimball Arts Center and Festival: “all of these organizations have given me an opportunity to share my artistic voice with others, and to develop my work in a really inspiring and motivating way. Through advocacy for the arts in our community, participating in shows and exhibits, and engaging creatively with others, I have been able to truly discover myself as an artist, and as an artistic community member.” As with any artistic scene, Kendall feels there is room for improvement, holding firm that “it is so important for local artists to have a place and a voice in our community, as they are sorely underrepresented. Park City has Main Street for high end galleries, they have the Kimball Art Center for world class exhibitions and amazing classes, but where are the middle level professional and emerging artists represented?”

The support of such artists is, according to Kendall, one of the Arts Council’s crucial roles in Summit County. “The Arts Council has been a huge supporter and benefactor for middle level professional and emerging artists. They have worked tirelessly to find space for us, and put on exhibits that support our demographic. Through their programs CREATE PC and BRAND PC, local artists and makers have been able to be seen, share their work with the community, and sell their pieces. Thankfully, I have had the opportunity, and honor, to participate in these ventures, and they have been life-changing for me as an artist here in Park City.”

Through the new CREATE PC gallery at 1500 Kearns Boulevard, the Arts Council is able to offer 12 artist in residence studios and a retail gallery space for 20 additional local artists; “How great is that?” asks Kendall. She explains “this gives us a space to work, access to retail, the ability to interact with the community, and the opportunity to be immersed in the creative process with other artists. This is essential to the vibrancy of the arts community in this town, and to the creative endeavors of artists who live here. And…. it's so fun!” Kendall is thrilled to share a new collection of her paintings with visitors to the CREATE PC Gallery. She describes her work as something that needs to be experienced in-person in order to be appreciated for both their form and the process that created each piece; “they invite you to find the hidden gems of mixed media, knife stroke, and layers underneath layers of paint. A pop of orange, or a smudge of green in all the right places. Color added, scraped away, added again, and destroyed or deconstructed in a most intriguing way. And, thanks to opportunities provided here in Park City by our Arts Council, you can do just that - see the pieces in person, up close.”

Kendall’s outlook for the future of Arts & Culture in Summit County is one of hope and excitement: “I look forward to the arts community and the vibrancy of our small town growing, and being a part of that growth. The potential is real, and with the ongoing efforts of the Arts Council, and other art advocates here, we can make our community an even more exciting, fun destination for all people. I can't wait to see what the future holds!”

You can find Karen Millar Kendall’s works on her website karenmillarkendallart.com, and also on Instagram @karenmillarkendallart and facebook. You can see her newest work at the CREATE PC gallery space at 1500 Kearns Blvd. Click here to learn more about CREATE PC and plan your visit.

Karen Millar Kendall: An Exciting Future for Arts & Culture in Summit County