So tell us your story and how you got to where you are today?
It all began in Norrkoping, a calm city situated about 160 km southwest of Stockholm, Sweden. It was there, where the culture was to appreciate and celebrate outdoor and nature, that my love for animals, especially endangered and threatened animals, began. My teachers and family encouraged and pushed me to pursue art school. But it wasn't in my future, for only at the age of nineteen, I left Sweden. I've always been struck with wanderlust and some kind of seeker. I knew that the world had a lot to offer and I wanted to explore before picking my path. Instead, I traveled the world. I lived for a long time in Greece, England, New Zealand, and Australia before moving to the U.S. in 2012, which I instantly fell in love with. I flew down to the United States, not knowing a single American soul, in hopes to pursue my career in acting.
Since my teenage years, I've been into professional modeling worldwide and landed roles in several television shows and lead roles in films. My artistic visions and the eagerness of creating art has always been with me in my heart, it's my escape from reality and it keeps me at peace. My transformative moment of changing into a full-time artist happened about six years ago when I received a lot of spontaneous reactions towards my paintings from friends and family. That was when creating art turned from a therapeutic hobby into an all-encompassing calling and at the same time, I realized that my deep-rooted love for animals and interest for imperiled animals in the wild could be the essence of my art.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced along the way?
Considering all the places I've lived around the world. I've faced countless challenges in my life, many different chapters, some smoother and some more challenging. I think most artists who pursue a serious career in the arts know that there will be challenges. We all have a battle with our own doubts, constant questioning of decisions throughout the work, inner conflict of thought and execution. Art is a bittersweet struggle – I think every artist at any skill level can recall that, even if many of us never discuss this or ever admit it. Art is an exciting, emotional journey with ups and downs, just like everything else in life. I won't change a thing about it, it's what I live, breathe and will die for.
Tell us a bit about your art, what's your inspiration?
I am proud to call myself the heartbeat of the wild artist. Every species be it a lion, elephant, or bird, has its own heartbeat, pattern, and pre-established set of behaviors. However, the major qualities we can relate to are - affection, love, pride, and soul. These many elements come together in my mind and then on the canvas. My process of representing animals this way moves me deeply, and I hope viewers can feel what I do. My work is international and universal in scope, starting with a subtle and sophisticated palette of color, composition and texture to my paintings... Finished canvases are created using a variety of media including acrylics, oils, gold leaf, resin and even glitter and real genuine diamonds. The result is a perfect balance of realistic and dreamy expressions highlighted by golden touch. For example, my signature series "Heartbeats of the wild" showcases the emotional connection animals share with their mates and with the world.
I also recently started to create my "Bar Art" which is modern abstract with lots of different dimensions. I like to pick a special bottle that tells a story. Maybe it was a wine bottle that was given to someone on their wedding day, their special anniversary, or a very old bottle that has been in the dark for coutnless years and is now finally open. I crush the bottle into bits and create a uncommon art piece with different mixed media elements.
It is inspiring to know that my art is in collections across the world — in Canada, Europe, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and, of course, the U.S. With invitations to showcase my collections in many art galleries across the U.S. and internationally, I'm excited about what the future holds. My affiliations to work with and do something that benefits wildlife animal rescue and endangered species organizations is an honor and a blessing.
As an actor, I have done various lead roles and television appearances. My latest lead role is in a western movie called "Once upon in deadwood" and can be found on Amazon prime here in the U.S. I'm about to film another one in a couple of weeks which I'm very excited about.
Karin: The only failure is not to try. Don't be afraid to fail. It's not the end of the world and in many ways, it's the first step toward learning something better and getting better at it. Everyone is always going to judge you whether their background/ life story/ how they view the world is...The most valuable advice to be Myself is to be my authentic self and keep doing what I believe in regardless of the lows and the highs and what other people may think. Staying true to yourself I believe is golden.
Contact Info:
Email: hello@karinbrauns.com
Website: www.karinbrauns.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinbrauns/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarinBraunsOfficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarinBrauns
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJmNH-loMF7b6ImHjxbbS0w
Karin Brauns
( United States Of America )