Moorpark College is proud to host the artistic creations of Los Angeles native Karen Sikie. Sikie’s exhibit appropriately titled “Garden Variety,” contains the perfect transitional pieces into the spring season.

“Her work is beautifully crafted and I wanted to know more about it,” said gallery curator and art faculty Erika Lizée.

Sikie’s pieces are a mixture of the natural world, including flowers and animals, as well as textures and colors that exude femininity and elegance. Many of her pieces are figures of her daughter who helped Sikie by modeling. Sikie’s work is the reflection of one of her most sacred values: staying true to herself as an artist.

“A rose does not yearn to be a daisy—you must stay authentic in your work and self,” said Sikie in her lecture on March 18.

The process of making the art is a meticulous and time consuming one, but results in beautiful and intricate works. Sikie’s paper mosaics, engravings, and rubbings consist of a variety of materials that range from acrylic paint and glass to an assortment of papers, like wrapping paper and tissue paper.

“Be kind to yourself in this process because it is a process and mistakes are really opportunities to grow,” said Sikie.

For Sikie’s creative process, elements in nature were responsible in serving as both artistic inspirations and life lessons. She explains that the cycle of seasons not only keeps her imagination running, but also helps her stay focused on continuing to make art.

“We all have that visual language we have to find,” said Sikie in her lecture. “[For me] nature is my muse.”

After dropping out of UCLA as a French major, Sikie pursued her career as a full-time artist and has reached a level of success many working artists strive to achieve. Sikie’s pieces have been staged in several venues including Elements Kitchen in Pasadena, Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, and on the set of the NBC show “About a Boy.”

Sikie’s success is owed to her hard work and perseverance, so she encourages artists to stay stable with the process of making art, while also going out to see other artists’ work to gain confidence or feel inspired. She also recommends writing in order to release thoughts and emotions and use them in the process of art making, such as naming a piece.

“Every day I feel constantly inspired,” said Sikie. “I have developed as an artist, and for that I value myself.”

Sikie’s exhibit will be on display in the art gallery in the Administration building, and will be held from February 28 to March 24.