Karin Frankenstein‘s skills as a Crafts woman spans a broad and multi-faceted field. In her practice she move between sculptural art work leaning on conceptual thoughts or themes and utility-related ceramic. Clay often is a main component, even if its not always bunt in to ceramic. The process and an experimental phase is very relevant to her and a way to find nourishment.

A · Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I live in Stockholm since 2005, with my family, we have tre kids in the ages 1, 2 and 5. I grew up in Malmö and have plans to move back there and start up my practice after graduating in june 2014. I study at the masters program of Ceramics and Glas, at Konstfack. I am 31 years old, hate the swedish winter but love the rest of the year.

B · What’s your favourite part of the design process?

uuh, hard one, spontaniously I would say the initiation, starting up, but there are moments in all parts that gives me some strong feeling of satisfaction inside. If I have to choose then I would say the section when an idea is for the first time taken from imateriality to somehow be materialized.

C · Please tell us more about your art and design background and what made you become an artist and designer?

As young and growing up I was very creative in so many ways but I never really knew about the profession of an artist. It was outside of my known picture of the world. Art and crafts and all that was only stuff to be done at free time. As 21 years old I gave my self a year to dive in to some of my creative interrests before I would start my “real” education” that would be to become a doctor or a teacher or something else very usual that I could imagine. But when I started at the folk high School of Vårdingeby i was totally overwhelmd by my work with the clay and the world of ceramics. The picture of an alternative way of working was coming through and when my dear teacher suggested that I should apply to higher educations I swallowed the bait whole. I just followed my inner longing and ignored all possible restraints.

D · Where do you get inspiration?

The society, dreams, materials, objects, the nature, people, books, science, tv, I guess it’s coming to me in what ever I do, unexpected, uncontrolled.

E · What was the movie or book that impressed you the most?

Hard one. I tend to think of the latest ones because otherwhise I can never choose and that was a book about Hilma af Klint, “Enheten bortom mångfalden”, but I was also very impressed by Sara Stridsberg in “Drömfakulteten”, a novel about Valerie Solanas.

F · Can you describe your style, how has that style developed over the years?

I have a masters education in the ceramic field but in my practice I try to not look at any pre set boundaries when choosing materials or methods. The charachter of my projects are often sculptural, in the borderline to function. I work around themes and develop questions connected both to my practice and to the wholeness of our existense. Often I need to work for a while to define a direction, questions and explanations might come in the end or even after finishing something.

G · What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on my exam project at Konstfack. It is about spiritual aspects of life, death and my practice. I am working with hypnosis, a mediumistic woman, Chrystalline Glazes and energy-wood.

H · For you what makes a product rare?

Some strong individuality.

I · What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I can turn my belly button inside out.

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