Painter

Here’s a little bit about her:

Kelly Bohlken homeschools her eleven year old son, Sam, navigates life with her teenage daughter, Kyra, and paints whenever she can.

She has a BA in liberal arts that doesn’t come in handy very often. She loves to play with all sorts of mediums and is a self-described contemporary folk artist. Kelly is pleased to take commissions from family, friends and anyone interested in having old or new pieces of furniture, boxes, trays, and other household items glammed up.

And here’s how she answered my 6 questions about creativity:

What does it mean to you to be creative?
For me, creativity is the willingness to be open to being inspired – using a variety of tools, energy, passion and determination to bring forth that which does not exist into something which does. It is the ability to process new thoughts and ideas and express them through action. Creativity can be as simple as just doing.

What inspires your creativity?
Opening my eyes. I see pattern everywhere – light reflections on the wall, wood grains, tribal rugs, tattoos, sari material … that I want to capture on a wooden box, antique dresser or junk store stool. My garden inspires me to paint large bunches of flowers, as does the Vancouver artist, Bobbie Burgers, whose immense flower paintings awe me – her talent and productivity are an absolute inspiration.

What keeps you moving forward in making things happen?

I am not under any illusion that I am making things happen beyond my wee insular sphere. I am doing my best to connect with my children, provide them with a healthy environment, cook them amazing meals, love them unconditionally, and show them the joy that I get out of taking time for myself to be creative. As I get such pleasure from turning an old decrepit piece of furniture into a piece of art and then passing it on to someone who gets joy from it, I would love to dedicate more time to making this happen.

What’s the wildest journey your venturesome spirit has taken you on?
Fourteen years ago, I started the wild journey into motherhood. I have always been a quasi-creative person, but becoming a mother has forced me to open up and tap into a part of my psyche/soul, that had been lying dormant, in order to be flexible and creative in all my motherly actions. I needed to learn a new calm, a new language, absorb a new love and share a new life. For the most part, I think that I have done fairly well – my kids are strong, happy, loved, well-fed, curious, cautious, intelligent and engaged individuals. The journey has been awesome, wild, tense, humorous, so much fun, and I am so lucky because it continues.

What’s the boldest, most provocative statement you are willing to make about yourself, your business or the industry that you are in?
Having such strong opinions and reactions to art myself, I never get fussed if someone doesn’t like my stuff. Ideas don’t always work. Move on.

What’s next for you?
I am presently laboriously painting our stair rails and dreaming of Uzbekistan Suzanis. The pattern, texture and colour of these decorative tribal textiles have inspired me to paint an old wash stand. I am also designing a massive mosaic mirror. Easily swayed by a new technique or idea, I saw a painting yesterday at a local gallery that was loads of colour, mixed media and resin and I would love to revisit the techniques of thick resinous coats which I experimented with years a go. What should really be next for me is learning how to finish a project before I start the next one.

And here’s a painting that inspires Kelly’s creativity:

Reckless Profusion, arcylic on canvas, by Bobbie Burgers

Thank you Kelly for glamming up the world, the colours are intoxicating!