Carole Kainlor Solo Exhibition

On View: June 4 – July 14, 2021

Maine Crafts Association presents wooden collage pieces by Carole Kainlor at the Center for Maine Craft.

Stepping Out of the Box

Before I retired in 2007, I had the idea that I wanted to make “boxes” out of wood. I had no idea what they would be like. I had some basic carpentry skills and loved to work with wood. My first box was simple, three rows of three long strips of wood encased in a frame. As I started to get more involved with the components of my work…a small block, a triangle or a circle of wood, I started appreciating the uniqueness of each piece. The imperfections are perfection because each individual piece of wood is different than all of the others. In many cases, each piece is a little work of art in and of itself within the larger structure. Sometimes I have to work on ideas, other times, they just come. I start with a concept and usually do not know where it will lead but I am always pleased with the results. I do not know where all of this came from, but it is something inside of me that probably was always there and I feel blessed that I am able to express myself in this medium. At one point, the boxes became a metaphor for my retirement in terms of stepping out of the “box”, the life that I had before which left me very little time to explore my creativity.

This exhibition is no longer mounted at the Center, however, a few pieces may still be purchased in one or both of our galleries. Please contact the Center for Maine Craft for more information.