Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Artist Profile: Kris Henderson

by Cyndi on May 10th, 2007

Weight of the World
Artist: Kris Henderson
Business name: Studio Hen
Location: Turlock, CAWebsite & Blog:
Studio Hen
Brain Bubbles blog

Kris, you do so many things! How do you describe your work?
The best word I can find to describe my work is eclectic. I have been creating art for years and am still unable to stick with one type of media. While working I frequently swear that “this is it, I’ve found my niche”…only to discover that my next creative spark takes me in a completely different direction. To me it is what keeps my art fresh and exciting…especially when I have several different pieces going at once. Sometimes someone will look at a piece and say they can tell I created that…which I find so complimentary, but I don’t have a problem with having my own huge spread of styles that are more often not personally recognized. This is probably why I stick with the title Mixed Media Artist.What is your creative process like?
I rarely plan out my work. My creative process is usually so spontaneous that I often scare myself. I can be driving down the road, see a bill board that inspires me, stop and turn my car around to go home and create. I am not even sure what I will end up with, as my vision of the piece changes often during the creation. I am inspired at all times of the day. I don’t find I create more during any particular part of the day…but usually once I start working hours upon hours can elapse before I come up for air. Many factors cause me to change my creative direction. Music definitely has a big effect. If I listen to rock and roll I tend to work more quickly than if I am listening to classical…and the direction the pieces take are affected by the kind of music I have playing. My choice in music is as eclectic as my art….hmmmm maybe that is why my work is so diverse!?

Paper basket
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
Both my mother and my sister were very creative. I grew up with a lot of exposure to art and creativity.During the years when my children were young I created a lot of folk art and participated in craft faires. The craft faires were joyous times for me. It was so exciting for me to be surrounded by other people and their art and craft…and the energy we all shared together was so inspirational. I do the same thing now only on a different level. Besides teaching workshops myself, I attend as many mixed media and fine art workshops as possible. Not only do I garner inspiration and instruction from the workshop teachers but also from the workshop students. Being with like minded people brings my creative spirit to a really high level, which in turn helps me achieve new levels of work as an artist.

My sister was an accomplished artist with a masters in art education. I remember how rigid I thought her training was and how she struggled to create by the rules. Even though her art always turned out awesome, I did not want any part of that kind of kind of artistry. However, now sometimes I wish I had more formal training. I’d like to know all the rules….just so I could break them!

Earth Fairy
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
While I’m in my studio I find that I am not particularly attached to any one tool or material. Well, to be honest it would depend on what project I am working on….if I were to be creating a book or journal or using a lot of paper I would probably tell you that I could not live without a good PVA. Then again, on the next day my answer might be quite different…I might say I can’t live without my Dremel or these awesome metal brads. Then again, something very new to add to my admiration list would be my sewing machine. Ten years ago, I would have run in the other direction of ANY sewing machine. Now I find them fascinating….like the computer that can do so much…now sewing machines do it all too. My latest artistic new tool would be my camera. I’m learning that expression through photography is quite rewarding!What inspires you to create?
Life inspires me. My life is and has been so full. My age inspires me….the wisdom I am discovering within myself has been mind blowingly inspirational. I can honestly say that at this time in my life I have never been happier. This is most inspirational to me.

Also, working side by side with my husband or just watching him work will inspire me and will often cause me to jump in with collaborative ideas for projects. We work well together and often draw inspirational ideas out of each other.

I also find inspiration in doing special swaps and collaborating with other artists. Deadlines always get me moving!

Coptic binding
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
I often have several different projects going at one time. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I have left a project behind. Then one day I remember that I moved on to another piece of work because the other project was giving me so much trouble. When I finally get back to that previously frustrating project, I find myself diving in and quickly conquering the very thing that drove me away in the first place. I believe it is most important to take a step back from your work…whether it is troubling or not. Looking at a project with fresh eyes can be very enlightening.What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Boy that’s asking for a huge piece of advice. From my own personal experience letting myself go into a creative mode where I allow myself to create totally from within raises my creative level. Getting there is sometimes hard but certainly not too hard.

I’d say just keep creating and challenging yourself with new ideas, inspiration and above all have fun. I believe that light hearted creativity is a great way to keep away the dreaded self critic…and often produces pieces of art that are most rewarding. I guess the same could be said for the more dark art too! I have created some pretty deep provocative pieces when creating while I was less than a happy camper! The more one creates the more their level of artistry will rise.

Spirit Dome
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
My family and traveling are a huge part of how I live. We are lucky enough to be able to travel to a lot of awesome places in this world. One wonderful thing about traveling is that we never have to leave art at home while we are traveling. We always find a way to fulfill ourselves either with journaling or visiting art venues. Finding and experiencing other art worlds is really exciting and bringing home that new artistic energy has really helped us find deep insight in our own work. When I feel I need a distraction from the everyday grind, I will re-arrange the furniture and art in our home. This often leads to painting the walls, finding new rugs (or old rugs) or digging through the attic. The whole family gets involved…but the day it is ok to re-arrange my son’s room is long gone……What’s your favorite comfort food?
I love to eat! Let’s face it, food involves our senses…which is why I believe eating touches our souls. I’ve got a BIG soul!

If I had to pick a favorite food, it would definitely be chocolate! I don’t like to cook much…never got into creating with food. But I really appreciate a good cook and a good meal.

Tags: artist profile, Assemblage, Book Arts, Collage, Creativity, Mixed Media

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