
I make art as a way of expressing my perception of the world around me. I create my own fabric using a variety of surface design techniques, then experiment to bring the piece alive, often by incorporating ideas and elements from previous creations.
The hours I spend in my studio nearly every day are fueled by the energy of having created something that has never existed before. Over the years, I have made a considerable investment in my studio space, since I find that my time there is creative, stress relieving, and liberating as well.
Fiber is my medium of choice because it is tactile, easily manipulated, and allows itself to be altered in many different ways. Tactile elements are important in my work because they give the piece even more reason to get up close and look at the art.
Juried Exhibitions:
- Minimalism, SAQA Global Exhibition, European Patchwork Meeting, Alsace, France, Beginning Sept 2023 (Traveling Show)
- Story Quilt Show, PHES Gallery, Carlsbad, CA May 21, 2023 - July 8, 2023
- Abstract 2022, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA June 18, 2022 - July 24, 2022
- Quilt Visions 2020, Visions Art Museum, San Diego, CA October 17, 2020 - January 23, 2021
- Southern California Contemporary Quilts, Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA August 1, 2020 - October 25, 2020
- SAQA for 3D Expression, Global Exhibition, Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, MI Sept 2019 - April 2021
- SAQA for Masterworks: Abstract and Geometric, Global Exhibition, 14 Venues, USA - Japan - China - Germany, November 2017 - November 2020
- World of Threads Festival, Oakville, Ontario, Canada October 29 - November 27, 2016
- 3 Degrees of Abstraction, Visions Art Museum, Apr - July 2015, San Diego, CA,
- Viewers Choice Award
- World of Threads Festival, Oakville, Ontario, Canada November 1 - 30, 2014
- Quilt National, Athens, OH May 2013
- An Exquisite Moment - IQF Long Beach: 2013, Long Beach, CA
- Rituals - IQF Long Beach: 2012, Long Beach, CA
- The Artist as Quiltmaker XV: 2012, FAVA, Oberlin, OH
- Quilts=Art=Quilts: 2011 - 2012, Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY
- The Space Between - IQF Long Beach: 2011, Long Beach, CA
- The Space Between - IQF Houston: 2011, Houston, TX
- Beneath the Surface - IQF Cincinnati: 2011, Cincinnati, OH
- Beneath the Surface - IQF Long Beach: 2010, Long Beach, CA
- Beneath the Surface - IQF Houston: 2010, Houston, TX
- Healing Arts: 2010, Buenaventura Art Association, Ventura Community Memorial Hospital, Ventura, CA
- Becoming art at the Seams: 2010, Museum of Ventura County, Ventura, CA
- Edges Special Exhibit - IQF Houston: 2009, Houston, TX
- Edges Special Exhibit - IQF Long Beach: 2009, Long Beach, CA
- Four Seasons: 2009, California Fiber Artists, The Greenville Arms, Greenville, NY
- Hot Fiber: 2008, California Fiber Artists, The Artery, Davis, CA
- Voices in Cloth: 2008, East Bay Heritage Quilters, Convention Center, Oakland, CA
- Layers of Meaning: Works by 15 Artists: 2008, Cut Loose Quilters, The Loft Studio Gallery, San Pedro, CA
- Cutting Edge: New Works in Fiber Art: 2008, Arroyo Arts Collective, The Acorn Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- Fiber Pathways II: Textile Art in the 21st Century: 2007, L.A. Fiber Artists, VIVA Gallery, Studio City, CA
- Fabulous Fiber Fest: 2006, Quilts on the Wall, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA
- Art Quilts Tradition & Innovation: 2006, Folk Tree Gallery, Pasadena, CA
- A Century of American Quilting -Traditional and Contemporary Fiber Arts: 2005, Quilts on the Wall, Carlotta's Passion, Los Angeles, CA
- At the Cutting Edge - Contemporary Fabric Art: 2004, Ventura County Museum of Art, Ventura, CA
Solo Exhibitions:
- Karen Rips Solo Exhibition, Spring 2014, The Art Quilt Gallery, New York,NY
A View Within Exhibitions:
- A View Within, WaterWorks Art Museum, Miles City, MT, March 11 - April 13 2018
- A View Within, Sierra Arts Foundation, Reno, NV, March 1 - 30 2017
- A View Within, Schmidt Art Center, Belleville, IL, Aug - Oct 2016
- A View Within, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX, May 27 - Sept 4, 2016
- A View Within, Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts, Melbourne, FL, May 28 - Aug 27, 2016
- A View Within, Wiseman/Firehouse Gallery, Grants Pass, OR, March 2016
- A View Within, The Gallery at Penn College, Williamsport, PA, Oct 2015
- A View Within, ArtTimesTwo, Princeton, NJ, Nov 2013 - Apr 2014
- A View Within 2013, The Vision Gallery, Chandler, AZ
Curated Exhibitions:
- Three Perspectives: 2010, Performing Arts Center, Redondo Beach, CA
Twelve by Twelve International Exhibition Program:
- European Patchwork Meeting, September 2014
- Northwest Quilting Expo, Portland, OR, USA, September 2013
- International Quilt Festival, Long Beach, CA, USA, July 2012
- International Quilt Festival, Cincinnati, OH, USA, April 2012
- International Quilt Festival, Houston, USA, November 2011
- Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK, August 2011
- Midsomer Quilting, Chilcompton, UK, April 2011
- Craft & Quilt Fair, Christchurch, NZ, September 2010
- Craft & Quilt Fair, Hamilton, New Zealand, September 2010
- Textile Art Festival, Brisbane, Queensland, June 2010
- Gosford Regional Gallery, May 2010
- Australasian Quilt Convention, April 2010
Artist Talks:
- "Artist Introspective," Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, July 2016
- "Members only tour of A View Within & Artist Talk," Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX June 8 & 10, 2016
- "Finding What's Meaningful Through Experimentation," Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild, Pacific Grove, CA, Aug 13, 2015
Corporate Installations:
- Kaiser Permanente Hospital, Panorama City Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA - 2008
- Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center, Burbank, CA - 2003
- Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center, Burbank, CA - 2002
- Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center, Burbank, CA - 2000
Selected Bibliography:
- Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge, Lark Books, March 2011. Co-author.
Publications:
- “3D Expressions Catalogue” Global Exhibition, Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum, Sept 2019 - April 2021
- “Karen Rips” International Art Quilts: Abstracts and Geometrics, Martha Sielman, Page 206 - 209, 2016
- “Curated - The Intersection of Arts and Medicine” TMC - Pulse, Vol 3, No 7, Page 31, Aug. 2016
- “Den Moment” Patchwork Professional Magazine, March 2014
- “Rituals Gallery” Quilting Arts Magazine, Issue 59, Oct/Nov 2012
- “Quilt Group Q&A: Twelve by Twelve” Quilting Arts Magazine, Issue 55, Feb/Mar 2012
- "Beneath the Surface" Quilting Arts Magazine, Issue 47 Oct/Nov 2010
- "Edges" Quilting Arts Magazine, Issue 41, Oct/Nov 2009
- “By the Dozen: Profile of the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project,” Quilters Companion, November 2008
- “Global Quilting, Profile of the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project,” Down Under Quilts, November 2008
- “Fantasy Guardian Angel: Art Doll Challenge II” Quilting Arts Magazine, Fall 2005
- "Fantasy Guardian Angel: Art Doll Challenge I" Quilting Arts Magazine, Summer 2005
Online Video:
- “Craft Houson - A View Within/In Residence,” Filmed [July 1, 2015]. YouTube Video, Duration: 00:04:22, Posted [July 2016]. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6vU3Onu5XA
Affilations:
- SAQA - Professional Artist Member
- Surface Design Association
- Twelve by Twelve
- Quilt Visions
- San Jose Quilt Museum
Studied Under:
- Bob Adams
- Jeanne Raffer Beck
- Claire Benn & Leslie Morgan
- Dorothy Caldwell
- Jane Dunnewold
- Leslie Gabrielse
- Rayna Gillman
- Kerr Grabowski
- Jan Myers-Newbury
- Carol Soderlund
©2023 Karen Rips | All Rights Reserved