Karen Herrick

About Me: I’m a fulltime freelance textile artist following a dream of earning a living through art. I run a creative business called Harlequin Arts, working on a portfolio of projects in the areas of arts & health, spirituality, & education, mainly working in the East Midlands but do work further afield. I also run textile workshops at my studio in Brampton. My Art: I create colourful, layered textile wall art, machine, hand stitched & embellished as well as hand felted layered landscapes inspired by nature, faith stories and colour. My work is usually stylised or abstract, incorporating curved, undulating lines, buttons, beads and sequins to complete a piece. Inspiration: Inspired by the seasons, nature, faith stories and colour, I like to explore the essence of an object, place or feeling. Much of my work is the result of an inner journey to understand that, often beginning with photograph, scribbles & sketch, paper collage and research that culminates in a series of layered textile art pieces, frequently using hand coloured or printed fabrics. Most of my work tells a story. My art is a reflection of myself; multi- layered, multi- faceted; combining a love for a variety of things; hence the business name: Harlequin Arts What I do: I enjoy enabling and inspiring others to be creative and have many years’ experience facilitating connections through creativity in primary education, health settings, community art, adult education and creative retreats and believe that participating in creativity can enhance wellbeing. I work from my small studio; an old stable in the Brampton area of Chesterfield from where, like a chef concocting an idea, I scheme, stitch, plan & prepare for the variety of things I do. Harlequin Arts is a creative business providing participatory arts workshops, and training, inspiring and enabling others to create. Karen is experienced in providing bespoke visual arts workshops for • primary schools, including early years, KS1, KS2 • after school clubs, enrichment days, art weeks, school banners • multicultural art, cross curriculum, creative curriculum, topics or themes • INSET days • health settings, including care homes, residential homes, hospitals • arts for wellbeing • arts for elders, mental health groups, dementia patients, women’s refuge • training care workers in working with vulnerable adults