“A Maine Influence: Wood Sculptures by Karina Steele” – Exhibit in the Picker Room Gallery

Karina Steele‘s design inspiration is heavily influenced by her connection to nature. She grew up in Evergreen, Colorado in the 70s and 80s, and briefly left to attend college at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. She earned a degree in Biology, thinking she would become a wildlife biologist. After college, she returned to Colorado in Crested Butte where she spent 15 years in various seasonal jobs and covered many miles of snowy and dry trails. In 2013, she shifted gears and started her journey into woodworking and furniture-making with a short course at the California College of Art.

She continued her training at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, where she learned the trade of furniture-making for two years. She moved permanently from Colorado to Maine in 2015 and started creating small household and kitchen objects out of her garage studio. In 2018, she started experimenting more with bending wood and began to explore sculptural wall hangings. She now focuses on one-of-a-kind pieces for the home as well as large-scale installations for commercial spaces. Learn more about Karina and her work at www.karinaksteele.com