Check Out Karri Jamison’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karri Jamison. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I loved creating art as a kid. Whether it was making my own play-doh to sculpt animals or drawing scenes from my favorite books. Art class was always my favorite time when I was growing up. I loved learning about the different mediums and possibilities art offered. By seventh grade, I realized I wanted to be a professional artist. It was that Christmas that I asked for my first painter’s easel. Over the next few years, art became my life. I began entering my art into local competitions and it was noticed by members of my community. I was called down to the principal’s office when I was sixteen because a woman wanted to purchase one of my paintings hanging in the high school. Shortly after that, I began getting jobs painting murals for people around town. It was at that point I realized my dream of becoming a professional artist was possible. So, with the encouragement of my family, I decided to attend UW-Milwaukee to get my degree in Fine Art. I graduated in 2007 with my BFA in painting and fibers sculpture. Getting my bachelor’s in fine art was an incredible experience. I learned so much about technical skills, archival techniques, and honing my abilities.

Unfortunately, my degree didn’t teach me about how to sell my art or run an art business. So that was a big learning curve. It took me a few years to understand all the paperwork and legal obligations of running my own business. It also took me years to develop my personal style of painting and to produce enough art to have a consistent body of work to present/sell. During those years, I worked night shift as a caregiver to the mentally disabled to support myself. I worked 84-hour weeks as a caregiver and 30 hours a week painting. It was exhausting and took a lot of sacrifice, perseverance and dedication to keep creating my art. It would have been so much easier to give up. But I had a vision and a goal for myself and my art. I wasn’t going to give up just because life got hard.

Once my body of work was complete, I started jurying into fine art shows/fairs across the Midwest. Art fairs make art more accessible to the general public. Which I love. Because I believe that good art should be accessible and affordable to everyone. My first year I started with only 4 fine art shows. Slowly over time, I’ve grown my body of work and am currently showing at 19 fine art fairs this year. I also show my art in three fine art galleries, the Museum of Wisconsin Art, and several Hallmark and Wild Birds Unlimited stores. I’ve also worked hard at growing my online business and currently sell my art on etsy.com. I’m honored to say that I have won 32 awards for my art in the past 6 years. Including Best In Show at the Saint Charles Art Fair, Best In Painting at the Oconomowoc Art Fair, and the Award Of Excellence at the Edina Art Fair. I feel so grateful to my clients, family, and friends who have helped me on my path to becoming a full-time artist. Especially my husband Philip Troyer of @thunderskyjewelry. Phil is a talented custom jewelry maker and travels the Midwest doing fine art fairs with me. He’s always there to help me lift the heavy stuff, set up my booth display, and does all the driving! You can see and visit his booth next to mine at most of the fine art fairs we attend.

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 wouldn’t say it’s been an easy road. I started selling my art and developing my business back when there wasn’t a whole lot of guidance or apps like there are today for small businesses. Every aspect of running my business was a learning curve back then and, in some ways, still is. One of the hardest things as an artist and business owner is having to wear so many hats. I’m the creator and artist, but I’m also the marketer, the manager, the promotor, the head of social media, the receptionist, and accountant. The list goes on and on. It’s challenging to fulfill all these roles and still have the time to create art.

The biggest struggle I’ve had to overcome is my health. I have three autoimmune diseases: Addison’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease, and Celiac disease. In 2020 I had a total health collapse. My body just quit on me. I had pushed it to its breaking point, and it broke. For years prior, I tried to get help. I went to over 13 doctors, and they all told me I was fine; none of them wanted to run the tests needed to investigate what was happening to my body. Turns out I have a rare disease that left untreated leads to death (Addison’s Disease). My body was shutting down, and I was dying. I finally got help from a naturopathic doctor who is also a MD. I had to go outside of the mainstream medical system to finally be heard and get help. Unfortunately, Addison’s disease takes 10-12 months of recovery time, and combined with my other health issues, it took me 1.5 years to be able to paint again. My body was so broken I couldn’t walk more than 10 feet without having to rest. I couldn’t climb the stairs to my studio or hold a paintbrush. Due to my three autoimmune diseases being untreated for so long, I have also developed sever hypoglycemia and estrogen dominance. In total, I have five health issues that I have to be careful of every day. I take medication every three hours to survive, take my thyroid meds twice a day, take over 30 supplements, and eat very specifically, so I don’t trigger an antibody and inflammatory response. Every day is a careful balance of sleep, medication, nutrition, and work. It’s a tough balance to keep, and some days are harder than others. But I made it through and I’m happy to say I am back to making and selling my art full time in 2022. I’m grateful to be alive and to the people who have given me so much love and support during my recovery. Over the past year, I have met a large amount of people who are struggling with autoimmune diseases and living disabled because of them. I hope my story helps them to know they are not alone and that there’s hope.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a professional nature painter whose unique style of art merges two painting genres: abstract expressionism and realism. I refer to my style of painting as “Modern Nature.” My work features stark black and white backgrounds combined with meticulously hand-drawn and painted nature iconography. My current series of paintings showcase the birds and woodlands of the Midwest. All the scenes in my paintings are my own composition, inspired by time spent in nature. Along with conveying a sense of natural wonder, I also want my work to have a modern edge. My goal is to create a modern aesthetic that appeals to many people. Not just traditional naturalists. Often, clients ask if my work is digital or photography. While flattering, the answer is no. Each painting is meticulously drawn and painted freehand. The average time it takes me to create a painting is 300-3200 hours. The only tools I use to create my highly detailed paintings are: acrylic paint, graphite pencil, and paint brushes only 3 to .5 millimeters in diameter.

My favorite subject matter to paint is birds and trees. In fact, I consider myself a “bird-nerd” and often can be found traipsing through marshes, woodlands, and prairies, looking for birds to study and paint. Birds are a huge part of my life. Each bird has a unique personality that I try to capture in my paintings. The patterns on their feathers are so intricate I can’t help but enjoy the beautiful challenge each bird represents. I’m honored that my modern nature series has been well received by private, public, and corporate collectors.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I’ve recently read “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I found his book to be an excellent resource for time management and life skills. Not sure if this counts…but I love listening to English period dramas while painting. I’m convinced I do my best artwork while listening to Downton Abbey!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarriJamison
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karrijamisonart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarriJamisonArt

Image Credits
Karri Jamison