Karolina Adams is an introvert by nature, so drawing has always been her alternative to talking out her issues. A Chandler resident, Adams expresses her thoughts and emotions spontaneously with graphite and ink. While each introspective drawing is personal to her experiences, she finds it rewarding when others connect to her art and share their appreciation for her creativity.
“I didn’t have many friends as a child, so now when someone connects to one or more pieces, the kid inside me who craved that connection gets validated and healed a little,” Adams said.
Finding Her Purpose in Art
As a child growing up in Chicago, Adams found solace in sketching and stitching together her drawings into journals. Later, after she graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in interior architecture, she worked in residential architecture in Chicago.
“I have a creative, childlike wonder personality and attitude, so going into a career that would require technical rationale wasn't something I could imagine myself enjoying. Little did I know that was going to be exactly where I would end up,” she said.
In 2005, she moved to Arizona and worked for a commercial architecture firm. But after struggling with the heavy emphasis of the technical work, she decided to quit her job and look for something else.
“I was seeking something that filled me instead of draining me. Art ended up being that 'something else' for me,” she said.
Adams still has sketchbooks that she fills with her "purges." Some sketches get turned into finished works and shown at arts shows and some stay in the sketchbook. She prefers graphite and ink because she can be quick with unloading her raw emotions.
“I don't like working on a piece for weeks or months. I purge my emotions, so the action of capturing that raw emotion on paper has to be quick or it loses its authenticity,” she said.
As a curious artist, she has tried clay, figurative ceramics, photography, and printmaking, but she prefers drawing and painting.
“Acrylics are the happy medium, to me. Oils are slow to dry so it takes time for each layer to dry before you can move on to the next. I actually like all media, but acrylics are my favorite when painting,” she said.
Adams carries a small sketchbook in her purse so she can sketch as emotions bubble up. When she returns to her studio, she may turn those sketches into finished works.
“When sketching, I need it to be quiet so I can connect to my emotions to express them. However, when I’m painting, it’s a different process than the purges. I love to paint while listening to ABBA, The Beatles or The Pierces Sisters,” she said, adding that she also takes time to be thoughtful of titles.
“The titles of my pieces are a big part of my artwork. You can feel the emotions in viewing my artwork, but my titles explain the emotion to the viewer,” she said.
Adams is one of the featured artists for the inaugural Sonoran Arts Festival, taking place from March 21-23 at The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th Street, in Scottsdale. Coordinated by the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, the fine arts festival features 70 local and national artists, live music from Chuck Hall, a variety of food vendors, wine and beer, and a silent auction. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission and parking are free.
To view Karolina Adams’ introspective art, visit karolinaadams.com. For details about the Sonoran Arts Festival, visit sonoranartsleague.org or call 480-575-6624.
