Monday, December 07, 2009

Some installation shots from my thesis at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. The show runs until January 6th, 2010, but check with the university for closings during the holidays.


Tiger (Eye-detail). Two Channel DVD Projection Installation Silent. Dimension Variable. Duration: Channel 1 – (Eye) 7 minutes 8 seconds. Channel 2 (Nose) 3 minutes 34 seconds. 2009.



Tiger (Nose-detail). Two Channel DVD Projection Installation Silent. Dimension Variable. Duration: Channel 1 – (Eye) 7 minutes 8 seconds. Channel 2 (Nose) 3 minutes 34 seconds. 2009.



Gummy Bear-(Bear-detatil). Two Channel DVD Installation with Sound. Dimensions Variable. Duration: Channel 1 Silent (Shoe) Projection 72 minutes 42 seconds. Channel 2 (Bear) 27 minutes 41 seconds. 2008.



Lollipop. Single channel DVD Projection With Sound. Dimension Variable. Duration: 26 Minutes 8 Seconds. 2008.



R_Ann-detail. Single Channel Silent DVD Projection. Dimensions Variable. Duration: 1 minute. 2009.



R_Ann. Single Channel Silent DVD Projection. Dimensions Variable. Duration: 1 minute. 2009.



Study for Stuffed Animal Eyes. Single Channel Silent DVD. 2 minutes 57 seconds. 2009.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Hello friends - the thesis show is nigh - opening is Saturday December 5 in Philly. Thanks for all your good wishes! I look forward to seeing some of you.


Thursday, October 01, 2009



Presents Findings

District of Columbia Arts Center
2438 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

www.dcartscenter.org
202-462-7833

October 16 - November 15
Opening Reception: October 16, 7-9pm
Curated by Lea-Ann Bigelow and Blair Murphy

Featuring work by Deborah Carroll Anzinger, Peter Gordon, Michael Matason, Lisa McCarty, Kathryn McDonnell, Karen Joan Topping and Jenny Walton

In a show of new work, DCAC’s resident collective explores the artistic process as a mode of inquiry, a space of exploration focused less on the production of definitive answers than on the acknowledgment and negotiation of paradoxes and contradictions.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Karen Joan Topping, Joke Pops, C-print, 13"x13", 2008.

12 x 12 x 100 Chautauqua Benefit Show The show is finally posted - how awesome! Someone bought my piece, a photo called Joke Pops. Yay! I was so curious to see who sent work - I guess most of the people who participated are recent residents, I didn't recognize them. With what, like 40+ residents every summer there have been boatloads, I mean boatloads, of aspiring artist through there in the past 19 years. (I was there - yikes - 1990-1991.) I recognized only two other contributers - Jenny Walton (who is of course my neighbor here in DC) and Polly Martin who teaches at CI. Wow - wonder if I will ever get to go back?

All the best to you Don and Lois Kimes! Thanks for the show and thanks for the 19 years of art lovin' joy and pain, which has thankfully been mostly joy that I dare say started for me because of you!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I think I will call this post "Blog of Stare" in honor of Mark. These photos are related to what I am working on this summer.














Friday, May 29, 2009



I added some more pics - kjt

Thursday, May 21, 2009



Please Join Us and Celebrating our last 20 years and our next 20 years!! Get your tickets HERE!

Even while working full-time AND getting an MFA I'm still an active member of the Board at DCAC and would love it if you could come to our 20th Anniversary Party on Friday, May 29th in Georgetown. DCAC means a lot to me - its where we had the "Gulliver" show in 2005 and they've never stopped supporting me. We've been working hard to make it a great event and arranged what I think will be an exciting night of art exploration.... hanging sculptures from Gretchen Schemmerhorn recent show at DCAC and a video lounge featuring work by my DC MFA mentor, accomplished artist Jefferson Pinder who was recently featured in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I can't wait to see it all as well as enjoy some dancing and drinking of DCAC's signature drink of the night the twentitinni (ingredients TBD) before I head to Philly for one last summer of school.

I hope you can make it but if you cant would you think about joining as a member? You can do that here. If you really want to throw your support our way but can't make the party you can purchase tickets and I can invite some of the artists that mean so much to DCAC to come to the party, particularly the artists from Sparkplug: a DCAC Collective - of which I am a member and volunteer coordinator. Some of the gala tickets include a membership, so you'll get notified when Sparkplug has it's show at DCAC in October 2009. Thanks for reading the party pitch! Hope to see you all soon and that you enjoy our 3 day weekend!!!!

Karen Joan

What is DCAC and why should you support them?

The District of Columbia Arts Center is a nonprofit organization located at 2438 18th Street NW, between Belmont and Columbia Roads, in the heart of the Washington's Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. DCAC supports emerging artists who are trying to get a foothold in the public arena. Born in 1989 with the mission of providing the “missing link” between emerging artists and the broader community, DCAC has maintained its place in DC as an organization that operates with the needs of artists in mind rather than focusing on growing commercial demands. DCAC also recognizes the need to support ongoing projects, which include our Curatorial Initiative, which nurtures upcoming curators and enriches audience engagement with our exhibits, and SPARKPLUG, a collective of local artists and curators who exhibit at DCAC each year.

In 1987, a group of artists, arts advocates and administrators came together to address their frustration with DC’s cultural climate. In order to bring local artists closer to the community, arts advocates Aaron Levine, Alice Denney, and Herb White, with the support of councilman William Lightfoot, established a center where local artists would become more visible to the community and receive the support that was largely unavailable. DCAC’s founding board includes artists Jack Rasmussen, Lynn McCary, Sam Gilliam, Greg Hannan, Kathy Keler, Rockne Krebs, Evangeline Montgomery, June Shadoan, and Paula Schumann, critic and curator Annie Gawlak, and arts activist Eden Rafshoon.

Since the founding of DCAC, the city has seen a number of positive changes in the local arts community. With the growth of local galleries and art spaces, artists have a wider range of opportunities to exhibit their work than they did twenty years ago. While the original vision and purpose of DCAC remain intact, the arts center now seeks to address the growing needs of artists marginalized by the commercial demands placed on galleries. Even as we seek to expand our visibility and hope to become a primary staple in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, DCAC holds true to its grassroots tradition. We continue to recognize the need for a space where artists, regardless of their commercial viability, race, gender and educational background, can show or perform their work at any stage in their careers.

Board of Directors: Bruce Kogod, Jay Bothwell, Faith Flanagan, Philip Barlow, Lisa Gilotty, Maureen Jeffreys, Molly Ruppert, Rebecca Montesi, Karen Joan Topping, Andrew Baughman, Buck Downs, Bridget Sue Lambert and Anita Walsh. Emeritus Chairs: Herb White, Sam Gilliam and John Dreyfuss. Advisory Board: George Hemphill, Jefferson Pinder and William C. Paley.

If you have any questions call us at DCAC at 202.462.7833 or info@dcartscenter.org

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COME CELEBRATE DCAC TURNING 20!!!!
May 29, 2009—6:30-10:30 pm —Halcyon House in Georgetown


Celebrate DCAC ’s 20th Anniversary with an evening of dance, poetry,
performance art, video art, sound installation and live music.


Our performers and artists for the evening include:
Kathryn Cornelius, performance
Quique Aviles, performance
David London, performance
Silvana Straw, poetry
Buck Downs, poetry
Ilana Silverstein, dance
Alberto Gaitán, sound installation
Gretchen Schemmerhorn, installation
and video projections by José Ruiz, Jeffry Cudlin and Meg Mitchell, Jefferson Pinder, David Hartwell............and more

Tickets Plan
$100 for nonmembers (includes 1 year of membership).
$75 for DCAC members.
And for those of you that always wanted to be a VIP, just add $50 and you'll be in!!
($150 VIP nonmemeber, $125 VIP member)

BUY your tickets now by going HERE! At the door they will be $125!

The Lowdown Friday Night, May 29th

Halcyon House, 3400 Prospect Street NW, Georgetown
6:30 to 8:00—Beer, wine, hors'd'oeuvres and the DCAC signature drink--the TWENTITINI!!!!
6:30 to 7:30—VIP Champagne Room with David London---oh la la
8:00 to 10:30—Dancing with the Gin and the Tonics, beer, wine, the TWENTITINI!!!!,
and desserts including special 20th Anniversary Cookies.

If you are driving there is a close garage is at 3307 M Street but is accessed off of Banks which is a half block away- a very short walk to Halcyon. DCAC will be giving out parking validation stickers at check-in, which will be offered at a $2 discount off of the normal rate.