Artist Kara Bender enjoys experimenting with art making materials and is familiar with a variety of mediums and techniques. Although she originally had a background in graphic design, she quickly became interested in studio arts.
Bender focused on mixed media and painting techniques while receiving her B.F.A at the University of North Carolina Asheville campus. Later she began working on shaped canvases, sculpture, and printmaking techniques while obtaining her M.F.A at Western Carolina University.
Kara’s current work involves mixed media drawings that include hidden images and reflections. They are often layered, cut through, burned, and twisted to reveal unexpected images or associations.
Furthermore, much of Kara’s work revolves around North American cultural studies and phenomena in the United States. Themes in her art include myths, proverbs, and her personal anxieties. Kara is an autistic individual with low support needs, and her art is often heavily overworked and detailed to reflect the way she processes the environment around her.
Finally, in her spare time, Kara is an aquarist, aquatic plant enthusiast, and the pellet god for a colony of fancy shrimp.
Contact Kara:
email: [email protected]
website: www.KaraBender.com
Selected Work
About the Autism After 21 Art Show
Madison House Autism Foundation’s annual Autism After 21 Art Show features 21 works by artists on the autism spectrum. As part of the #AutismAfter21 awareness campaign, the show utilizes the arts to shine a spotlight on the lives of autistic adults.
Furthermore, the campaign brings attention to the unique perspectives and talents of adults across the spectrum. It invites audiences into a world that recognizes and values the participation and contributions offered by autistic adults in our communities.