Karla Carranza Dokken

I’ve heard it said that understanding why you want something, or why you do something, is critical to motivation and direction in your work. My work is an extension of curiosity, a communion with my spiritual nature, and, really, a story being told to me. Not following through with certain ideas often feels like reading an excellent book and losing it without knowing how it ends. I suppose my “why” is about connection: connection to creative energy, to materials, to thematic ideas, and to how the work may serve others.

One of the most powerful core values of my practice is the willingness to experiment, which allows for discoveries and growth in ways that are unplanned yet highly valuable.

My work is not intended to live with me forever. It is meant to live on its own in the company of others. I sense that its goal is separate from me and is birthed by the observer rather than the artist. Whether it is inspiring, energizing, calming, soothing, motivating, or even rejected, it serves a purpose for the observer.