Karin Foreman is a Swiss-born Santa Rosa Valley-based freelance artist. Her background includes degrees in graphic design and fine arts.
After founding “Art from the Heart”, she exhibited in local art shows. Since the birth of her daughter, she moved on as an independent contractor working from home. She creates fine art and graphic designs. Karin is also an event and award-winning nature and travel photographer. She is often described as being able to capture the essence of the moment. After studying Photoshop in 2002 she’s been specializing in digital art. Her new passion is photomontage-based digital paintings combining her two passions—photography and fine art.
Foreman has worked in many different mediums like pastels, prismacolor, pencil, pen & ink, charcoal, acrylics, and especially in mixed media. She has also produced numerous pieces through the art of traditional printmaking—a method that dates back to the Middle Ages. They include linocuts, mezzotints, monoprints, zinc and solar etchings printed on hand-made paper and bark. Many of her prints grace private homes in the United States and Europe. Karin has created a wide variety of illustrations and layouts for book-, CD- and DVD-covers, brochures, magazines, promotional items, and trade show posters. She has fashioned business cards, logos, and custom invitations & announcements as well as a series of children’s characters.
Karin’s work has been published in various magazines and has been featured in many exhibitions. She has also translated documents from German into English which were published in the book The Camp Women.
Counting of the Omer | S’firat HaOmer | ספירת העומר
Tonight begins Day 42 of the Omer. With only one week left, I’d like to send you my latest work and extend the age-old invitation to prepare yourself for Shavuot.
Counting of the Omer is an important verbal counting of each of the forty-nine days between the second day of Passover and the beginning of Shavuot (Leviticus 23:15–16).
Counting of the Omer is a mixed media piece combining traditional painting and textures with the fluidity of Illustrator.
The bottom part represents the Exodus from Egypt in the form of a turbulent swell (parting of the Sea), which signifies the physical redemption. It culminates in Shavuot (the giving of the Torah at Sinai) with its counterpart—the spiritual redemption. The wave is made up of 49 sections; one for each day of the counting of the Omer.
I am writing this while simultaneously watching a live feed of Israel attempting the historic moon landing of the Beresheet Spacecraft. It’s just at the point of no return…
There have not only been technological advances in terms of space exploration but also in the digital world. I certainly benefit from the ease of use of my digital camera. Seeing the images almost immediately after taking the photos sure beats shooting blind and the long darkroom process. I’ve been enjoying the wildflower super bloom and explored some new areas #NoFlowersHarmed.
The breathtaking array of wildflowers remind me of Job 12:7-10“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
Lake Elsinore
I’ve been working on some conceptual pieces for the abstract version of the Jewish Holidays as well as for a presentation. More on this in the next post.
Redemption
“Redemption” is a Passover piece focusing on the four cups of redemption found in Exodus 6:6-7 “Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
I thought it was time for a little update. I’ve been busy creating some new scarf designs and abstract Jewish Holiday digital mixed media paintings.
Last weekend, my portfolio was shown at the Los Angeles Art Fair. More than 70,000 collectors and art aficionados attended this exciting event on January 23-19, 2019. 120 galleries from 18 countries presented spectacular works by some of the world’s most important artists, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Winslow Homer, and many others. It was a unique opportunity to promote my work at one of the most significant global art fairs.
What…?! That was pretty much my first reaction. I knew this event was planned. However, I was more skeptical than excited. I knew that this event was planned, but getting the confirmation e-mail made it finally real.
The following pieces will be featured this coming weekend. Of course, this is not a solo show. My artwork will be among many other artists. How many people will actually see it? I guess I’ll find out 🙂
May you and all your family share in a New Year filled with good health, continued success, and blessings always!
Rosh Hashanah 2018 will begin tonight. For me personally, this year it is not just another part in yet another cycle in the line of Jewish holidays. Like no other year before, I truly feel that tonight will mark a new and exciting future. There is a tangible sense of leaving the old and everything that happened behind, and stepping into a brand-new life-changing beginning—one that will bear fruit.
Pencil Sketch for Elul
Elul with Psalm 27
This journey started during Elul and is evident in my new abstract artwork. I am fond of abstract styles because the viewers can project their own interpretations.
The most important element that I wanted to portray in Elul is the aspect Teshuva. Teshuva literally means “return.” It is the continued process of realigning with G-d, community, and family. The outcome of this time of reflection should result in repentance and a complete turn. The arrow not only represents the repentance and a 180-degree turn from wrong doing but also the exchange of granting and asking for forgiveness!
Elul features a shofar, which is customarily blown every morning (except on Shabbat) from Rosh Hodesh Elul (the first day of the month) until the day before Rosh HaShanah. Its blasts are meant to awaken one’s spirits and inspire a soul searching.
The painting features Psalm 27, which is customarily read every day from Rosh Hodesh Elul through Hoshanah Rabbah on Sukkot (in Tishrei).
Rosh HaShanah sketch
Rosh HaShanah
Rosh HaShanah רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה features the traditional elements like apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year. Furthermore, there is a shofar to awake us from our spiritual slumber. It also includes seed/tear shapes. They symbolize “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5. The tears of sorrow will be transformed into tears of joy. They also look like seeds and signify the beginning of new life and fruitfulness.
Yom Kippur Sketch
Yom Kippur יוֹם כִּפּוּר
Yom Kippur with Whale (Book of Jonah)
Yom Kippur יוֹם כִּפּוּר features aspects of the 40 days of honest soul searching, self-examination and a desire to right the wrongs. The blue background symbolizes the Sea from the book of Jonah, that is traditionally read on Yom Kippur. It signifies that no one is beyond redemption. It also has an element of the closing of the gates, which is the final service of Yom Kippur (Neilah).
