Creativity in Karen's Life
- Hao Yang - Cardiff University
- May 9, 2018
- 2 min read
In Karen's life, creativity plays an important role enabling her to create more amazing things.
Following her own mind to create her own life
Before starting to make jewellery, Karen already had a 10-year successful but unfulfilling career in marketing. She knew she wanted a creative business and to be her own boss. After figuring it out, Karen came across Jewellery Design and Silversmithing at Coleg Glan Hafren in Cardiff. She was excited to have found her true vocation and to this day, she still feels incredibly lucky to be doing what she really enjoys.
A Creative Desire to Deisgn
Karen's first collection was Perseverance, in 2005, and was inspired by a period of ill-health. Her second collection, Serenity, was inspired by Buddhist singing bowls, and links bold, sculptural and architectural designs with a somewhat industrial feel. The minimalist and geometric collection was created in 2007.
Karen also pours her own experience into her jewellery design. The Hope collection was influenced by her charity climb to the top of Mount Kilimanajaro, and was produced in 2011. The organic, textured, and etched approach combines with hand-formed links and rough-cut, vibrant, and unusual gemstones.
Her most recent range, Spirit, was released in 2013 and uses 3D printing to express the shapes that she saw on her journey to the Mt Everest base-camp.
Karen is always learning new techniques, honing her skills, and exploring new ideas so that she can continue to experiment in the future.
Creativity in Education
As a creative agent, Karen uses the arts within education to boost creativity and creative thinking skills. Collaborating with teachers to find creativity in the classroom means that she not only want to teach students how to hand make but also enable them to think differently.
Karen thinks of jewellery as wearing a personality and presenting it in a non-threatening, non-egotistical way to the outside world. However, Karen's creativity is not only seen from her work, but also in her life and attitude.
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