Style Imitating Art: Jellyrolls!

Style Imitating Art…

Welcome back to my interpretation of a piece of art created by a very unique artist. Salazar, Shelbee, and I are the curators. You can think of this series as fashion meets art museum! SIA challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Shelbee is this week’s curator with an artist’s entire collection. We got to pick our own pieces to use as inspiration. I hope you enjoy this post, the information, and my interpretation.

How it works…

Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. We then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, we share our outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Shelbee chose this week’s art work for this round of Style Imitating Art. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. Please send your photo to Shelbee by Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 by 10 pm EST. Style Imitating Art is an interesting way to inspire your outfits. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here and here.

The artist…

Karen Hawkins is a contemporary sculpture artist who lives in Austin, Texas.  I wasn’t able to find out when or where she was born; however, she has five children and five grandchildren so I’m guessing she’s a Boomer!  She and her husband have two dogs named Maxx and Stanley.  She graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Fine Arts.  Hawkins began her career in a garage and a spare room in her home.  If you watch the video below, you’ll see why those spaces soon became much too small for not only her pieces but also her vision.  In 2021, Hawkins and her team moved into a 1,000 square foot studio on her estate.  This gave the artist room to create as well as to host private tours. 

A little more…

That studio, however, soon proved to be too small for Hawkins, her creations, and her vision of what could be.  The artist and her team have moved into a much larger studio and showroom right in the heart of East Austin’s arts district.  There, Hawkins is able to explore other avenues while also giving her a space to share her work with collectors, collaborators, and the community.  Hawkins, a multi-media artist, and her art conjure a feeling of nostalgia as each person who comes into contact with her work brings their own history of interaction with books.  She creates these glorious pieces of art from old books, resource materials, and other paper ephemera.  “The digital age began replacing the traditional book with e-readers, rendering the centuries-old form as a mere object. As an artist, Karen’s goal is to push the objectification of books further, discovering whether they can remain purposeful in our technological age. The resulting sculptures evoke a sense of nostalgia that each person relates to in their own personal way, based on their life experiences with books. As our studio clientele has expanded across the country, we continue to explore and discover new ways to examine this centuries-old form.”

Still more…

Hawkins builds her art from books not only because of the written word but also because of the “perfect construction maintained over centuries past.”  Unfortunately, as many of y’all may have seen, sometimes, books are just objects obtained in order to show off.  Have you seen the color coordinated books on shelves?  They become a part of the décor rather than something to be read, loved, and reread.  Part of Hawkins’ mission is to use books in a way that makes them relevant again as we move forward into the digital age.  In this way, each piece tells a story…whether it’s about the procuring of a book, the story the book itself tells, or the story the art tells.  Her body of work includes “sculptural wall hangings, large-scale site-specific installations, and non-traditional art installations that engage with timely social concerns. By blending artistic expression with contemporary issues, Karen’s work serves as a compelling reflection of the world around us.”

“’In my childhood they were my escape. I traveled the world through books. I still love to touch them and smell them.’  Karen’s work is an archaeological exploration into the structure and content of the book. Her goal is to transform how a book functions, removing it from its familiar construction and reinterpreting it as new and visually meaningful.”

Still more…

In her new space as well as in her previous spaces, Hawkins collaborated with other respected designers and architects, including Fern Santini, Kasey McCarty Interior Design, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Ryan Street Architecture, and Studio Seiders.  As a result, her art appears in many prestigious and high-profile places.  These include “the W Hotel, the Archer Hotel, Facebook’s Austin Headquarters, Kendra Scott’s Austin Flagship store, Lumos Pharma Inc., as well as the Museum Tower Condominiums in Dallas, and the Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.”  Her work is also in private collections as well as several public installations. 

The Pink Bow Project…

Hawkins is in the midst of a relaunch of a huge installation known as The Pink Bow Project at Bale Creek Allen Gallery in Fort Worth, Texas.  The installation is in April in observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.    It is to give a voice to the thousands of women and young children who have suffered childhood sexual abuse.  The installation contains thousands of pink hair bows, those simple symbols of innocence.  The bows are hung on white buckram panels which hang from the ceiling.  In the background are the voices of hundreds of women who are reclaiming their power through the sentences: “I am Karen. I was 10 years old.”  The installation is to “symbolically honor the many female survivors of childhood sexual abuse, which reportedly occurs ever 9 minutes in our country.”  I encourage you to read this short piece. If nothing else, watch the video below.

Something extra…

I found this on YouTube and thought y’all might enjoy it! It gives you an idea of how she works and the scope of her pieces.

The artwork..

I couldn’t find any exact measurements on the piece I selected. I think, given the artist’s portfolio, these jellyroll artworks can be made in any size and color the buyer wants. You can see some of them in the video. The Jellyroll series is created by tightly winding “individually hand-dyed book pages” around a central dowel.  This produces a small, “sculptural form” which is indicative of the “jellyrolls” Hawkins’ grandmother used to make.  In case you’re unfamiliar with the term (and I’m not talking about the cake), a jellyroll is a continuous strip of fabric rolled together with the intent of making a quilt.  Hawkins uses her Jellyrolls in groups and are either glued to a wall as a “site-specific installation,” or they are framed in order to be moved more easily.  Hawkins is furthering her use of books as “a structural material, translating its tactile and archival qualities into a visual language that is at once systematic, intuitive, and deeply rooted in memory.”  In other words, Hawkins makes these cool little rolled up structures in various colors from books.  She then groups them according to her creative idea or a commission.  Honestly, these remind me very much of Sally’s rolled beads!

Sources…

Karen Hawkin’s studio profile

Laura Rathe Gallery

Bale Creek Allen Gallery

The Pink Bow Project

My interpretation…

I bought this Zuri Contact dress during one of their “surprise” sales. In the past, these sales were really about taking a chance…a chance you’d get a color or design you didn’t like. This past time, you could pick the colors. I picked purples, blues, and greens. At first, I was disappointed because there’s very little blue or green. You can see there’s purple and several other colors. The website lists burgundy, red, blue, and black. But, once I tried it on, it was love at second sight! I really need to take close ups of patterns, don’t I? The pattern is made up of lots of little dots, and the colors seemed to resemble the colors in the piece of art I chose. I didn’t notice it when I was looking in the mirror, but the design makes me look like I’m in constant motion, doesn’t it? My accessories definitely match this one!

The Lewk!

Guess who got a pedicure? The young woman who used to do my pedicures moved to Chicago. Her dad was the nail tech who did my toes. I think the salon is family owned as her sister also works there. I love this pale lilac/grey shade. Strangely, if I paint my fingernails, they split and peel. My toenails are always fine! I am wearing my pink Shay sandals from Miz Mooz. I have them in black as well as sage. The necklace is the Parker Spice Round Bead Wood Necklace, and the earrings are the Assuta in Fuchsia.  Apparently, I have loads of clothing that goes with this necklace! I would love to get a few more pairs of these earrings, though. They are lightweight and come in a vast array of colors.

Wrap it up, Marsha!

Hawkins appears to me to be a genuinely kind and loving person.  She is known for “her kindness, compassion, and playful sense of humor, she brings warmth and creativity to every aspect of her life. A true 70s chick at heart, Karen embraces the era’s carefree spirit, infusing both her work and personal style with its bold and vibrant energy.”  I think she would be someone you’d invited into your home for a cup of tea (or maybe sweet tea) and just talk about life, books, and art.  So, can we talk? If you looked through Hawkins’ portfolio on her site, which piece was your favorite? Would you ever have considered making a totem or even a jellyroll? What do you think of this artist? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.

Don’t forget…

If you want to be included in the Style Imitating Art round up, send Shelbee your photo by 10:00 pm EST, Tuesday, April 21st. Photos of everyone participating will appear on her blog on Wednesday, April 22nd! If you’re interested in joining us, consider all of your options…the colors, the textures, the feelings they evoke! Come on, give it a try! I think you’ll love it!

Thank you!

I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, subscribing or emailing! It truly means so much to me! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

Affiliate links, discount codes, and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.  My April Cornell code, MARSHA15, now works, but it’s good for only one use. You can get $15 off $100. I’d wait and use it during a really good sale! Use Marsha12 for 12% off any order of $65 or more at Buykud. I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. I am also an affiliate with Clara Sunwoo. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off your entire order. Use MARSHA15 at Katia Designs for 15% off your order. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World . I also link up with I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month as well as the Global Writing Challenge on the second Thursday. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, Cat, and Rena. I also host 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

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