Daily Inspiration: Meet Sharlene Kayne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharlene Kayne.

Hi Sharlene, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always dabbled in art as a creative outlet, but about 12 or so years ago I discovered collage work when I was looking for a new medium to try. I instantly fell in love with the process, as well as sourcing the beautiful handmade paper. I started with pet portrait collages for friends and friends of friends. Eventually, I branched out to other subjects including whimsical recreations of old master paintings and vintage style portraits, which I still do to this day. To make my art more accessible, I started to feature and sell my collages on Instagram and currently generate and sell one collage per week.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I am grateful that social media has allowed my business to grow, but the downside is that I’m not able to meet the demand. It takes me the whole week to complete the collage that I list each week, so when there are multiple interested parties, I feel like I’m letting them down by having only one piece available.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create collages out of handmade paper sourced from around the world. I tear the paper into tiny bits and rearrange the pieces on a gallery canvas to create whimsical versions of old master paintings and vintage portraits. I have not seen anything else like what I’m doing. Maybe that’s because there is quite a bit of time, research and experimentation to work effectively with the handmade papers. Not to mention that the exquisite papers are much more costly than paint.

I am most proud of the fact that I have had no formal art training – I’m self-taught. Or as I like to say, self-teaching since it’s an ongoing process.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m hooked on public radio and love to listen to NPR when I’m creating my collages! Radiolab is one of my all-time favorites!

Pricing:

• My original collages range from $1,000-$1,800

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/skaynedesigns