Karen Dueck

KAREN DUECK FIBRE ARTIST

KAREN DUECK Karen Dueck's art is not what you'd call ordinary.She has only beenworking at her craft for a year, and already her pieces are attracting someattention.She works out of her home and at her studio at 123 WoolwichStreet, and is represented by Harbinger Gallery in Waterloo."I've beenthere since Christmas.They have been very encouraging about my work, andare always saying 'we need more stuff.' My problem right now is withproduction, not with selling."

Karen makes art objects and jewellery out of handmade fabric.Thematerials for her art work come mostly from recycled materials.She buysold items of clothing from thrift shops and cuts them up into the muchsmaller pieces that she needs.Even though these pieces come from the 49cent table, "sometimes I can't stand cutting them apart", she tells me.Her studio is full of things that she uses for her art.A whole wallboardof necklaces, bowls of old earrings, boxes of ribbon.One ribbon inparticular catches my eye, embroidered Inuit sleds and dogs on a whitebackground.She picked that up in the Arctic when she was living there."The Inuit use it to finish their parkas", she tells me. "People know I
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Karen got started making fabrics when she took a fabric workshop at theEmbroiderers Guild where she is a member.
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Before doing anything concrete, Karen comes up with a colour idea.This iswhere she begins.Then she takes a sheet of water-soluble plastic that is
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the ocean tapestry, I wouldn't be surprised if Karen commands a lot ofattention, both on the Guelph Studio Tour and beyond.