ARTIST STATEMENT

I am going to quote an artist friend here who wrote me an impassioned letter saying, "I'm trying to understand why I or anyone exists at all. I have noticed that when I am occupied with my art, I am not consumed by the question, but I am still addressing it. I think it is in some way, my stamp of existence on this planet. Art is so much a part of who and what we are that to deny its place in our daily lives would be to amputate the very essence of our existence."

I feel making art is my journey on the planet. Aside from any spiritual beliefs, this urge to create nags at you like a bad habit. And so I answer to it the best I can. Any good artist does this. Your job is to know this, as a student of life, as a student of society, and to be able to understand that this exists.

Hence the purpose of my journey. I have to plow through the bad paintings and many sketches to get to the truth. Visuals guide me. I relate to what has gone before me through someone else's eyes, and I will continue to do that. THEN to explore where that takes me.

I have been making art professionally for over 25 years. In mid 1983, I began to design jewelry and clothes as well. The group of work that you will find on this site represents the effort of those years.

The following bio is one that was written for me.Please look at the section of this site "Prose and Poetry" to read some of my pieces that accompany art work as well.

 

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Karin Skiba attended the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit and graduated from Pitzer College in Claremont with a B.A. in art, and an MFA in painting and sculpture from Claremont Graduate University in 1981.

She exhibited her work professionally in museums and galleries in Los Angeles and surrounding area, as well as Portland, Oregon; Detroit; Chicago; and Ontario, Canada. In the 1980's, she began a jewelry business that grew to include venues in 9 states. She has also started a fledgling clothing business, Crazie Heart, with active wear for girls.

Karin began to teach at Riverside Community College in 1990, after teaching art history and studio art classes at Cal Poly Pomona, Mt. San Antonio College, and Golden West College. She has participated in the Florence Study Abroad program for several semesters at RCC. After being chair of the AHSS department at Norco for over one year, she is currently the president of the District faculty union, RCCDA/CTA/CCA/NEA.

Karin is an example of the dual career “Juggling act” that artists/art teachers perform. Throughout her academic career, she has maintained a working studio and has continued to exhibit professionally. She has had 15 solo shows since 1975 including galleries of the University of La Verne, Mt. St. Mary’s College, Chaffey College, and participates in group exhibitions on a yearly basis.

In 2000, she produced a body of work, “Visual Poetry” for her RCC sabbatical exhibit. Recently she created a multi-media performance, “Scrubscapes”, with musician husband Robert Grajeda, which was presented at RCC Norco Little Theater, Chaffey College, and DA Gallery in Pomona over a span of two years. Currently her work involves photographic collage and painting.