Karen Exner is a German artist living in Berlin. She works on various freelance projects, collaborations and commissions for visual art, illustration and animation. For that purpose she has developed her own unique illustration style, not drawing her illustrations but instead scratching them in oil pastel chalk. This time-consuming and sometimes meditative technique gives her the space to immerse herself completely in a topic and think about new ideas while scratching.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU NEED A BREAK?
I snack, preferably other people's chocolate.
ANY ACTIVITIES, EXERCISES OR STRATEGIES TO PULL YOURSELF OUT OF THE OCCASIONAL ARTISTIC RUT?
I wouldn’t say that I have artistic ruts in the usual sense. If anything, I have too many ideas to actually realize. But I frequently fall down rabbit holes, spending too much time figuring out small details, not knowing when to stop and let something go. Luckily, deadlines exist. They’re the only thing that really helps me with that.
WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST ART INSPIRATION? THIS MAY NOT BE VISUAL. LIKE, ANYTHING!
I love crafts that carry a storytelling aspect, like in Afghan rugs or ancient Greek vase paintings. They are especially creative because the narrative is shaped and limited by the material.
DID YOU HAVE A MAGIC MOMENT WHEN YOU KNEW YOU WANTED ART TO BE YOUR LIFE?
There wasn’t a specific moment for me. Making art my life was and still is more of a wobbly path, with moments of both doubt and resolve. But the longer I keep going, the quieter the doubts have become, and I'm happy to be able to call myself a professional artist these days.
WHERE DO YOU WORK? WHAT’S YOUR WORKSPACE LIKE? ANY OBJECTS YOU’VE HAD A LONG TIME?
I usually work sitting on the floor, placing my work on anything that is in reach, like a chair, the bed or the coffee table. I prefer to move around the whole apartment while working, dragging around my homemade scratching tools as I go (I create my illustrations through scratching in oil pastel chalk).
