Karen Olsen’s portfolio was the 2024 Rfotofolio Selection chosen by our juror Diana Bloomfield.

“This exquisite hand-crafted work was thoughtfully conceived and perfectly executed, from the paper-making to the shaping, sculpting, and thoughtful meshing of materials. The result is a meaningful connection to and personal interpretation of the natural world. The dimensionality and tactility of these pieces, utilizing a myriad of natural fibers, work so well together. I appreciate that these layered effects weren’t simply added as adornment, but rather hand-built in deliberate and meaningful ways— ways that reveal strength, vulnerability, and the ephemeral qualities found in the natural world. Each piece has a purpose that works with another piece. Like nature, one seemingly cannot co-exist without the other. This work felt spiritual to me in its use and treatment of natural materials that were so lovingly and expertly sculpted. A vision beautifully realized, this is true artistry and craftsmanship- start to finish.” Diana Bloomfield

Would you please tell us about yourself?

I enjoy living in MidCoast Maine and spend many hours on the more than 60 trails and preserves in the area, camera in hand. As a youth, I spent countless days traipsing through the woods behind my home, not minding at all that my feet were deep in the muck or that my hands carried the smell of skunk cabbage. I consider myself a wild child at heart and love diving deep into both the science and soul of a matter. Keenly interested in our human-nature connection and how it supports and fosters mental health and interpersonal communication is at the heart of my photographic projects.  

Where did you get your photographic training?

I am largely self-taught, although I have benefitted from the knowledge of many artists with online and in-person classes and workshops. 

Who has had an influence on your creative process?

Over the last ten years or so, I’ve had the privilege of taking several workshops at Maine Media that have shaped my artistic practice. Sybylla Smith’s, Concept Aware class taught me to make meaningful, conceptual work. Elizabeth Greenberg’s Projects class was transformative. I have been a fan of Elizabeth Opalenik’s work for some time. Her Art of Seeing workshop pulled me into the realm of professional photography. Dawn Surratt’s Photographic Objects class taught me to think three-dimensionally. She has been a wonderful mentor for the last few years and continues to inspire me. 

Please tell us about an image (not your own) that has stayed with you over time.

The image titled War and Peace by Bulgarian artist Katia Chauseva has stayed with me for many years now. Katia creates exquisite work with an unmatched depth of emotion.

What image of yours would you say taught you an important lesson?

A few years back I made an image titled Fire No Flame, which was a part of my series on grief. I felt it might be too raw and too real to put out into the world. But I did it anyway. It taught me that very personal work is also universal. And that vulnerability is how we connect with community. 

Please tell us about the work you submitted to The Rfotofolio Call.

The work submitted to Rfotofolio is part of a body of work titled, Language of the Heart. The project has two sections. Inner Language is a series of 16 images on Japanese paper. Heart Song is a group of sculptures and artist books. 

To create this work, I began as my ancestors once did and used the same materials. Foraging to make pulp for paper, adding pigments, and shaping and sculpting fibers connected me to the earth and to those who have done so before me in an especially meaningful way. I imagined my ancestors doing the same, those who directly contributed to the very core of my being. I wandered untethered with no preconceived idea or process. Colors, textures, sounds, and elements in the natural world captured my attention and directed my heart and hands. Over the two years it took to make this work, an awakening and a brightening began. Hues emerged. I experienced a deep, restorative breath. 

Why do three-dimensional work?

I began making three-dimensional work as a way to bring the experiences I was having in the forest home with me. I wanted to depict the atmosphere and the way the light filtered through the trees. Now, it is more of an obsession. I have discovered the benefits of sensory experiences and activities. Getting my hands in the work and using natural materials is emotionally supportive and restorative. 

What part of image-making do you find the most rewarding?

It’s all about the click of that shutter! Many of my photographs are taken on a trail, in a preserve, or in my immediate environment. I love getting up close and personal with the natural world. I view it as a form of portrait photography, also as a form of therapy.

How do you work through times when nothing seems to work?

I turn on loud, heart-pumping music and just make stuff. The music helps me get out of my head and gets me moving. And, after a day or two in the studio, with the mindset of making without concern for the outcome, things start to make sense. 

What tools have you found essential in the making of your work?

The Adobe Photography Suite with Lightroom and Photoshop is essential. I use these tools in tandem all the time. Specialty papers are also important. I love using Japanese and Korean papers. My own handmade papers have become an essential part of my work as well. 

Is there something in photography that you would like to try in the future?

I would like to incorporate pattern somehow. I have always admired artists who use this design element as an integral part of their work. 

How does your art affect the way you see the world?

Oh, my, how do I answer that question in a few short sentences?

Working conceptually in projects or series has helped me see the world with a depth that is not possible otherwise. The backstory rests in a whole lot of research and exploration. It is a matter of using my head, hands, and heart sense to fully understand a matter. I believe that photography is an approach with gratitude for what exists in this moment. 

What’s on the horizon?

I am currently deep into working on my next project, She Holds Our Stories, the full depth of which has not yet been realized. In conjunction with this project, I immersed in a certification class with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides. This has already informed my art and my teaching style in a big way. 

I have an online master class launching with Fibre Arts Take Two in spring 2025. I will be teaching again in Maine at Fiber College in 2025 in the fall and in Italy with Italiana Tours in June, 2026. 

Thank you Karen.

To learn more about the work of Karen Olson please click on her name.