© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
Using only a standard water colour paintbrush and a key eye for detail, artist Karen Eland re-creates famous masterpieces with espresso coffee instead of paint.
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Reproducing everyone from Da Vinci to Van Gogh’s most popular works, skilled artist Karen, 36, from Bend, Oregon now makes a living with her stunning coffee art.
© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
Having produced her first caffeine collage in 1997, former coffee shop worker Karen has produced close to 90 art works in total and her reputation in the art world is beginning to precede her.
Specialising in replicas of fine art history, each of Karen’s works include an obvious or not so obvious reference to coffee drinking in the actual painting.
© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
“Mona Latte is my sentimental favourite, since she started it all,” said Karen.
“However, my favourite is the Angel of the Espresso for its subtle shading and glowing contrasts.
© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
Taking anywhere from one day to several months to create her coffee masterpieces, Karen even takes commissions for non-historical art works.
“I’ve done people’s portraits, scenes from my travels, coffee subjects like latte art, and so on,” said Karen.
“My art can be applied to most situations.”
© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
Using a simple American home brand of espresso coffee, Karen layers the canvas with the brush as the coffee absorbs like water-colours into the paper.
“I first thought of the idea for coffee art when I was sitting in a coffee house where I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, staring at an espresso and thinking that it was a pretty colour,” said Karen.
© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
“I had been working on a water-colour but had become bored with that, so since I had my paper and brushes I decided to try coffee there and then in the late 90’s.
“Now my original prints sell for hundreds of dollars.”
Obviously with a medium as unusual as coffee, comments about Karen’s work are on the strange side.
© Charles Johnson / Barcroft Media
“People say to me “I bet if you get tired, you can just lick your paintings for a boost!’ and ‘What a beautiful shade of brown,” said Karen.
“People are usually quite impressed.”
Words by James Nye
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