Artist Statements for Artists - or - Artists Statements Gotta Be Kick Ass!

Karen Atkinson is an artist who has a long history of doing multiple kinds of projects in the art world, including extensive exhibitions around the world and in the US, has been teaching at CalArts since 1988, was a founder of Side Street Projects (an artist run space in greater Los Angeles). She has a history of gallery or exhibition based installation, public art projects, temporary public projects, site specific projects, publishing, curating, organizing, founding, and in general tries to create as much trouble in the art world as possible in a good way. She founded Getting Your Sh*t Together in 2000, officially in 2005 as a registered company, and has been working to make life better for artists as a long term goal and an art project. Karen tends to push the envelope in terms of what art is and what is possible. An expert at DIY strategies, she will share anything she knows with other artists.

Extensive experience has led to a variety of knowledge which she has shared for free on the GYST website, through publications (a book for artists and one for teaching professional practices) and the first artist to create software to keep track of just about anything in your art life and to help you track your art career. A free 30 day download is available at www.gyst-ink.com. She also consults with artists, does lectures and workshops to institutions, schools, universities and the general artist public. She also runs a company called Digital Mud Works, where she designs 3D printer files for (over 1000) clay extruder dies at www.digitalmudworks.com, and her own website of projects is located at www.karenatkinsonstudio.org. You can email her at [email protected] with questions or inquiries.