Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Hirshan
Hi Karen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been a photographer for over 30 years. Originally I was a fine art photographer, exhibiting my photographs in galleries across the US and Europe. My subjects always leaned towards elements of nature. At one point I did a series called “In the Garden” incorporating vegetables, flowers, and fruit sourced from local farmers markets.
Looking back on that series it really was the catalyst to what I am doing now. Ten years ago I was reevaluating, journaling and pondering my next move. I began cooking a lot at that time as I had just lost my mother who was a great cook and it made me feel closer to her. Through recipes and time in kitchen I began to see my worlds collide and what I really loved most was working with fresh food whether in the kitchen or in the studio. Wandering the farmers markets and visiting local farms were becoming a weekly experience I loved. I started my Instagram KTH Kitchen and began documenting my food travels and photographs. I grew passionate about growing food, the effort and care it took to have this beautiful produce on my plate or in front of my camera. I really began to see produce as my main subject, calling my pictures, Portraits of Produce. I couldn’t get over how beautiful each radish or carrot was and they deserved their own portrait. Our connection to food is visual and my photographs seemed to enhance that connection and satisfaction one feels when gazing upon a meal. I began photographing restaurants, farms, kitchens, and food. One day a client asked if I would style the food for a photo shoot and I said I have never done that but she seemed to see something in my photographs that made her believe I could so I took the job and it was the best day. I loved it. A new part of the journey. When covid hit and restaurants, photo shoots all shut down, I started a painting class on zoom and spending more time at home and thinking again what else could I do with my brand KTH Kitchen. The idea of creating a line of ceramics incorporating my images came to me. Having had no experience in ceramics I reached out to a few artists I admired to see if they would want to collaborate but it was such an odd time and I think everyone was just trying to survive so it went no where. Then one day I realize my painting teacher was also a ceramists and I called him up with my idea and he said come by the studio let’s talk. He mentored me for a year until we figured out how to bring my idea to life. As we progressed I had the idea to also up cycle vintage table ware and vessels to cook in with my images in addition to the new bisque ware I was making. Thus KTH Kitchen Ceramics was born. My Instagram suddenly turned into mostly ceramics and I have not looked back. I love what I do. With the success now happening in the studio I was able to begin selling my work in shops. It has been an adjustment going from being an artist to now someone who makes more functional art. I am able to produce more pieces but I still see them as unique and special like a work of art. After all my photographs are on them so my fine art photography career still continues only now on ceramics.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think as artists we are always struggling in some way. For me the struggle has always been making sure what I make is relevant and authentic. I know my style so I am confident in that. The subject of food became very popular around the time that I began KTH Kitchen. I got lucky with that but again I stayed true to me and my path and the foundation I had already laid and just put out into the world what I thought was cool. While there were moments in my career I knew if I made this kind of art I could be more noticed but that didn’t sit right and I had to accept were I was at and be happy that I was staying true to my style wherever that got me. There are always moments were business ebbs and flows. Those are the times to get creative and refresh. Initially they can be hard but if you just work through it it can bring you to an entirely new career which for me has been very rewarding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My focus right now is on my two lines of ceramics. Both lines incorporate my photographs of produce, flowers, herbs and anything natural. One is a new bisque ware line. I sponge glaze the pieces and fire them and then add one or more of my images and re fire them. All food safe. For the vintage line I chose to up cycle the vintage table ware I found with my images and that has been a really fun project to collaborate if you will, with makers from the past. I am most proud of the fact that I came up with this unique idea and saw it through. Currently I am unaware of anyone making ceramics with photographic images. I am proud that it is out in the world and people are enjoying it. I love thinking that someone will buy a piece or set of dishes and pass it down to family members over the years. I love the idea of legacy and my art living beyond me and giving happiness to it’s owners.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
As mentioned before I have a mentor, Rob Homsy, who really held my hand the whole way in creating this line of ceramics and continues to teach me new things in the studio. I would also credit my mother and her passion for fresh produce and home made meals that inspires me in the kitchen and inspired this business. My children, Emerson and Ruby, for whom I create to make them proud and show them woman can make their mark on the world. A close group of girlfriends who are always my support team and forever grateful for that. I reached out to a whole new group of people in a completely new area for me and am blessed they took a chance on me. Lastly to my ex-husband who always said, “Just make art”. Turns out he was right and I was always over thinking it too much.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karenhirshan.com
- Instagram: @kthkitchen
