Daily Inspiration: Meet Karin Brauns

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karin Brauns.

Hi Karin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story began in Norrköping, a peaceful city about 160 km southwest of the national capital of Sweden, Stockholm. It was there, where the culture is steeped with an appreciation of the outdoors and nature, that my interest in animals, especially endangered and threatened animals, began. My teachers and family prodded and encouraged me to pursue art school. But it wasn’t in my future, for at only at the age of nineteen, I left Sweden. I’ve always been a wanderer and some kind of seeker. I knew there was so much more out there in the world, and I wanted to explore before choosing my path. Instead, I traveled the world. I lived for extended periods in Greece, England, New Zealand, and Australia before moving to the U.S in 2012 which I fell in love with immediately. I came to the United States not knowing an American soul in hopes to pursuit a career in acting.

Since my teenage years, I’ve done professional modeling worldwide and landed roles in several television shows and lead roles in films. My artistic visions and the eager of creating art has always been with me in my heart, it’s my escape from reality and it keeps me at peace. My transformative moment of becoming a full-time artist happened about six years ago when I received a lot of spontaneous reactions towards my paintings from friends and family, That was when creating art went from a therapeutic hobby to an all-encompassing calling and almost at the same time, I realized that my love of animals and concern for imperiled animals in the wild could be the heart of my art.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Considering all the places I’ve lived around the world. I’ve had a lot of changes in my life, many different chapters some smoother and some more challenging. I think like most artists who pursue a serious career in the arts know that there will be challenges. We all have a battle with our own doubts, constant questioning of decisions throughout the work, inner conflict of thought and execution. Art is a bittersweet struggle – I think every artist at any skill level can recall that, even if many of us never discuss this or ever admit it. Art is an exciting emotional journey with ups and downs just like everything else in life. I wouldn’t change a thing about it, it’s what I live, breathe and will die for.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am proud to call myself the heartbeat of the wild artist. Each being, whether it is a lion, elephant, or bird, has its own heartbeat, identity, and set of behaviors. However, all have qualities we can relate to— affection, love, pride, and soul. These many elements come together in my mind and then on the canvas. My process of representing animals this way moves me deeply and I hope viewers can feel what I do. My work is international and universal in scope, starting with a subtle and sophisticated palette of color, composition and texture to my paintings… Finished canvases are rendered using a variety of media including acrylics, oils, gold leaf, resin and even glitter and real genuine diamonds. The result is a balance of realistic and dreamy expressions highlighted by golden touch. For example, my signature series “Heartbeats of the wild” showcases the emotional connection animals share with their mates and with the world.

I also recently started to create my ”Bar Art” which is modern abstract with lots of different dimensions. I like to pick a special bottle with a story. Maybe it was a wine bottle that was given to someone at their wedding day, their special anniversary, or a very old bottle that has been kept in the dark for years and now finally open. I smash the bottle into pieces and create the unique art piece with different mixed media elements. It is humbling to know that my art is in collections around the world — in Canada, Europe, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and, of course, the U.S. With invitations to show my collections in galleries across the U.S. and internationally, I’m excited about the future. My affiliations to work with and benefit wildlife animal rescue and endangered species organizations is an honor and a blessing. As an actor, I have done various lead roles and television appearances. My latest lead role is in a western movie called ”Once upon in deadwood” and can be find on Amazon prime here in US. I’m about to film another one in a couple of weeks which I’m very excited about.

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@karinbrauns.com
• Website: www.karinbrauns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinbrauns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarinBraunsOfficial
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarinBrauns
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJmNH-loMF7b6ImHjxbbS0w
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarinBraunsArt