Karen Harry Mosaic
{magical mixed media mosaics inspired by the past}
Welcome to my website. I design and make mixed media mosaics with a historical and sometimes mythical twist. Some items are useful, some are purely decorative, but all are made with a sense of an idealised past, a world where wimples and chivalry abound, mythical creatures prowl and magic lurks around every corner.
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About Karen Harry
Once upon a time in a university far, far away (well, Dorset) lived a student who was as poor as the proverbial church mouse. She started to make beads and fridge magnets out of polymer clay in the hope of boosting her rather paltry student funding…
Fast forward more years than I care to admit and here I am making things out of polymer clay again. My professional background is in archaeology and environmental science, but alongside the day job I have always been a maker. Mosaic has been my enduring passion, making pieces out of glass and recycled ceramic in the traditional way.
My crafting ground to a temporary halt with the advent of children and dogs, not least because I work from home and did not want to keep lacerating the family with shards of glass! On discovering that polymer clay art had come on a long way since my student days I decided to try to incorporate some of these new techniques into my mosaics. My work now is focussed on using a mixed media approach, utilising polymer clay, collage, glass, metalwork, jewellery and any random bits and bobs that come my way.
The style of my work is hugely influenced by all things Medieval, although I’m not averse to taking the occasional detour down Celtic and Anglo-Saxon avenues. I also have an obsession with the Victorian Gothic, which in itself was a response to industrialisation and mass production, a yearning for simpler times when people were still very much connected to the natural world and the old ways. I love the attention to detail, the preciousness of the materials, the symbology of the images, the craftsmanship that went into making everything from books to jewellery, weaponry to buildings. I feel this is something that is often lacking in our modern world, so I endeavour to imbue at least a small sense of that richness in my work.
I live and work in Cornwall, which never ceases to inspire. The countryside around me is abundant with ancient monuments and the remnants of Cornwall’s industrial past, so you may also expect to see the odd engine house or portal dolmen making an appearance in my mosaics.
If you have any questions then please do get in touch via my contact page, and thank you for showing an interest in my work.
