After 1990, I picked up a couple of commission jobs while attending college; but, as with most artists starting out,
that wasn't enough to live off of. So, for several years I focused on getting a job that actually paid the bills and paid for school. And in 1993, after four years together, I married my best friend and high school sweetheart.
Then in 2000, I decided to pick up the hobby of painting 25mm scale miniature fantasy figurines. My husband and his friends were always using these little pewter people - or "minis" as they're called in the gaming world - at the table during their D&D games. I'd see the minis and think they looked so sad standing there in these grandiose poses, all bare metal [read: naked], supposedly ready to slay some terrible beast. Those minis were calling to me. That little voice in the back of my head was telling me that I needed to paint them.
So I asked my hubby how I would go about doing such a thing, and he showed me the basics he'd used - prime, base coat, ink wash, dry brush highlights, seal it and done. I received some compliments from around the game table after painting my first few minis using this method, but I kept looking at the little things and knew I could do so much better.
In 2005, I attended two miniature painting classes held at GenCon SoCal, and the next year, I entered my first miniatures painting contest where I won Best of Show as well as top spots in several categories.
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| "The Kraken" - SOLD Best of Show - Exodus-Road Pirates Painting Contest, 2006 1st Place, Best Base - Exodus-Road Pirates Painting Contest, 2006 1st Place, Most Creative - Exodus-Road Pirates Painting Contest, 2006 1st Place, Bilge Rats - Exodus-Road Pirates Painting Contest, 2006 |
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| 3rd place, Saucy Wench - Exodus-Road Pirates Painting Contest, 2006 |
For the next few years, I continued to enter miniatures painting contests, but never quite achieved the same success. My fervor for the hobby later waned (poor little painted pewter people, my passion piqued and passed), although the spark of interest is not completely gone.
In March 2010, on a whim, I signed up for a local art class for watercolors by Tom Tiedeman that spanned two Saturdays. I learned new techniques that were never covered in any of the classes I'd taken before, thus opening my eyes to the potential this medium had to offer. My passion for my first love was re-ignited.
In 2011, I was invited to participate in the Passage Liberty Arts Exhibition, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Safe Passage Foundation charity. All but one of my entries sold at the silent auction, which made me a very happy artist. Not only was my art meaningful enough to others that they wanted to purchase it, but I felt privileged to be a part of a good cause.
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| "Clock Tower" - SOLD 9" x 12" watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed paper © Kari Raley |
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| "Morning Mist" - SOLD 12" x 9" watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed paper © Kari Raley |
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| "Tulips" - SOLD 12" x 9" watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed paper © Kari Raley |
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| "Lady In Lace" 12" x 9" watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed paper © Kari Raley |
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I'm currently working on a new watercolor involving monarchs. Additionally, I have an on-going doodle/sketch to pass the time. (Hint: check out the thumbnail image at the top of the page under "About Me" ;) )
Thank you for your interest!
-Kari
