$8,500

"I am inspired by all things sparkly and make ‘unapologetically blinged-out’ sculptures and sculptural paintings. Much like how fish are drawn to shiny lures, the eye has evolved to look at things that are sparkly and my art embodies that. I love incorporating repurposed items like vintage jewelry, broken mirror, old nail polish, and antique chandelier parts, and turning them into new treasured artworks with a modern, eclectic, and luxurious aesthetic. My signature ‘foil-wrapped canvas’ reflects light off of it that shoots back through the paint, creating a back-lit effect, resulting in art that looks different depending on the lighting and angle it is viewed from. I am very passionate about community outreach, and inclusivity and accessibility in art, especially interactive art for blind and visually-impaired people.

Antique chandelier parts, paper origami, beaded flowers, and various mixed media including placemats and candle-holders. The idea for this piece came after being gifted 6 antique chandeliers from my cousins who were renovating their home. I remembered seeing this massive artwork featuring blue china at the Vendue years ago titled "Great Wall of China" and was inspired to do my own take on that with my signature blinged-out style and make these giant crystal flowers from these chandelier parts. This piece was literally born the day I received those chandeliers, and was directly inspired from that artwork at the Vendue! There are over 100 hand-beaded flowers, and this is a technique I learned from my great grandmother. She passed away at the age of 96 when I was 15, and I was lucky enough to inherit her collection of seed beads. I didn't know that earlier in her life one of her favorite hobbies was making these tiny French-beaded flowers. I found all these old guides and booklets on how to make them, and they were covered in her notes and sketches for flowers. I was completely enchanted! I credit her for my knowledge and love of this artform. Its hitting me just now as I write this that the 2 largest sources of inspiration for my artwork come from beloved family members and the things I inherited from them after they passed (my stepmother and my great grandmother) and that they'll never know the impact that its had on me. "
- Allison Kary