"Flora"
Flora
Symbolic of creative energy, healing, and fertility, Flora honors my grandmothers who worked the land alongside their husbands and children to sustain their families and bring grace and beauty into the world.
Women are gaining acceptance and recognition as warriors, scientists, politicians, and spiritual and intellectual leaders. However, women continue to be marginalized, objectified, and at times demonized by dominant patriarchal cultures. This contemporary Flora is inspired by essentialist feminist theory and my life experiences as a woman. I honor all of the women who have fought against misogyny and those who continue to work to gain equality for all genders. My vision is to challenge prevalent gender bias and pose questions about trust and tolerance in our culture.
Flora was exhibited in "Stepping Back, Looking Forward: Honoring Feminist Vision" (interview by Michaela Chorn) at MCAD Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota January-February 2016. Cover photo and feature article by Norma Smith Olson, “The Evolution of a Mythology: Artist Karen Wilcox Reimagines the Creation of the Universe from the Female Perspective" Minnesota Women’s Press, March 2016.
"The Compassion Mythology"
The Compassion Mythology re-imagines the cosmology of the universe from a feminine perspective.
Hybrid creatures that first materialized in my oil paintings more than 20 years ago serve as protagonists in my personal mythology. My story draws upon the compassion, wisdom and strength of the feminine, as well as the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. My vision is to mine the riches of a collective internal wisdom.