I frequently attend art exhibits in the area, and time and again, I’m standing in front of a truly creative piece that begs me to linger. More often than not, it is the work of 3D artist Karen Scarseth.

Inspired by nature and a desire to recycle items from everyday life, Scarseth has developed a style unique to her. Her thoughtful approach to transforming natural elements and randomly found objects has morphed them into something amazing in the Chippewa Valley, and she's always experimenting with new media and techniques – including sculpture, fiber arts, collage and jewelry.

“Everything is art, and when the light hits something, you notice it,” Scarseth said. “Every time I go for a walk there are 'pocket finds.' I'll take it home to the nine tables in my basement studio.”

Scarseth describes herself as a lifelong learner and open to new mediums that cross her path. “I’m working in collage but started with watercolor, cutting and weaving them into sculptures, making marks with black acrylic and charcoal, and creating felt landscapes,” she noted.

When you're into “everything” – much like Scarseth is – you amass a vast collection of items and ephemera, which she in turn utilizes in her art works. Many of her prized belongings are collected from travels: nuts from Florida collected thirty years ago, seed pods, fungus a nd striped plastic bread bags – just to name a few.

Over time, Scarseth's contemporary canvases have included corn husks, leaves, wooden blocks, traditional canvases or cards that are wired, glued, or hammered in. “I found an avocado skin in a parking lot, and I said to my friend, 'I'm going to stitch on this,' ” Scarseth said.

Ultimately, she hopes people will view her art and ask, “What is that?” Whether its good or bad, it's something compelling for viewers in the Chippewa Valley and beyond.

"I am always in awe of (Karen's) approach to unexpected materials, which are woven into creations that feel both sacred and new."

RAYMOND KASELAU

LOCAL SCULPTOR

To complement her artistic pursuits, she has taken watercolor, encaustic and gel printing classes at Dillman’s Art Workshop Retreats in Lac du Flambeau. In those spaces, she once again reverts to a comforting medium: using natural elements to create organic designs on fabric and paper.

Scarseth considers herself a lifelong learner, coupled by her lifelong devotion for education. While teaching art at Chippewa Falls Middle School for three decades, she invited students to dive into art history from varying cultures, including Egyptian, Native American and Mexican art.

In conversation with other three-dimensional artists in the Chippewa Valley, many believe Scarseth's adventurous spirit, appreciation of nature, and passion for storytelling are all reflected in her mixed-media creations.

Cari Raynae Jacobson, a local visual artist in the Chippewa Valley, noted “Karen does unique artwork combining natural materials like leaves and branches. It makes for very interesting art.”

“Karen is among the most inventive artists I have had the privilege of exhibiting alongside,” Raymond Kaselau, another sculptor in the Valley, said. “I am always in awe of her approach to unexpected materials, which are woven into creations that feel both sacred and new.

“Karen’s work resonates with meaning and quiet power, leaving a lasting impression,” he added.

Currently a member of the Valley Art Association, Scarseth's work has shown at the Pablo Center at the Confluence (128 Graham Ave., Eau Claire) and the Heyde Center for the Arts (3 S High St., Chippewa Falls).

Her woven baskets and collages are currently on display at the ArtZ Gallery in Amery and at the Nelson Stone Barn in Nelson.

To learn more about Karen Scarseth’s art in the Chippewa Valley, visit her profile through the Valley Art Association online, or her Facebook page (@Karen.Scarseth.Folk.Art). “Behind the Easel” is a periodic column by Patricia Hawkenson, a visual artist and one of the proprietors of Decadent Gifts & Gallery in Eau Claire.