Karlie King

I have always made Art that is ‘touchable.’

I want people to interact with my art.

I don’t want them just to look at it.

I want them to touch it, hold it, eat off it, wear it…

My art is to evoke a visceral experience, and that cannot be achieved unless a person engages with the art in various ways.

Karlie King completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Regina (2003), a Master of Arts Degree (2006) and three years of a Doctoral Degree at Memorial University in St. John’s, NL. She has received a variety of grants and awards, including a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Grant, Saskatchewan Arts Board Indigenous Pathways Initiative Grant, and the SaskArts Independent Arts Grant.

Her work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the country. Most recent exhibitions include “The King to the Ace” Estevan Art Gallery, Saskatchewan (September – November 2022) and “The Moving Heart” Saskatchewan Craft Council, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (November – January, 2021-2022).

For six summers, Karlie was the Artist-In-Residence at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, SK; and in January 2021 she was the first virtual Artist-In-Resident at Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Saskatoon SK).

Her artwork covers a broad range – from a functional line of pottery, to large-scale community projects, to street art. King’s artwork has been commissioned by the City of Regina and is also included in the SaskArts Permanent Art Collection.

She currently teaches at The Cathedral School of Art in Regina, and is a dedicated mother of two.

Though varied, the foundation of my art practice is the experience, not necessarily the product. I like to use art objects as catalysts for an emotional experience. It’s not the yarn-bombing per se, it’s the sense of playfulness and wonder when they see a railing wrapped in granny squares. It’s not the large moveable lantern, it’s the sense of curiosity people experience – trying to figure out how it’s moving. Even my tableware pottery line – it’s not just pottery. I actually hand glaze each piece with specific colour schemes that mimic planetary palettes so as to evoke a sense of sublime.