Karis Takaki

Artistic Narratives at the Intersection of Nature and Industry

Based in New Jersey, Karis Takaki's art captures the immediacy of her surroundings, drawing from the natural world and the industrial legacy of both her current studio locale and the steel mill town at the foot of the Rocky Mountains where she was raised. Her works incorporate handmade minerals, botanical elements, and iron and rust foraged from local sources. These elements reflect the profound history of the Western plains that shaped her worldview and the coastal character of the Atlantic where she now resides. Combined with ethically sourced natural dyes, her pieces are deeply infused with a sense of ritual, place, story, and connection to the natural world.

Educated at the University of Colorado, Parsons School of Design, and the Art Institute of Florence, Karis further enhanced her expertise with an MFA in photography and video from the University of Florida. Her academic and practical experiences include a significant residency at the New York Studio Program. Karis’s artwork has been featured in exhibitions at venues such as the Harn Museum and Galeria Artes Plasticas, where she has continually pushed the boundaries of traditional media.

Today, Karis explores the cyclical themes of decay and renewal, integrating these earthly narratives with celestial influences to engage and challenge viewers. Her art not only highlights the beauty and poignancy of existence but also serves as a commentary on environmental changes and sustainability.

Through abstract botanicals, mystical landscapes, and explorations of topographies and time, both in practice and theory, Karis invites viewers on an introspective journey that connects the specific details of time and place in her local environment to the timeless expanse of the cosmos.