Well, hello there
I always think it’s a little odd just rattling things off about yourself, so I’ll start with a snip-it my friend wrote unbeknownst to me. She’d been prompted to write about someone opposite to herself for a PhD Program application, and she happened to choose me as her literary foil.
“My friend Kara is an artist. She is confident, loud, messy, and always wears the freshest, cutest outfits. Thrifting the other day, she found a Stetson cowgirl hat and a pair of see-through 90s-style Merrell soled Doc Martins and wore these paired with a mini skirt she made herself the very next day. Kara is memorable; her earrings nor her socks ever match; she’s flamboyant with the sides of her head shaved and shoulder-length platinum blond hair down the middle. She looks like a modern-day Viking. Kara one time showed up to my house at 8:30 in the evening, lugging in a very large tote bag full of paint brushes, canvas, felt, fabric, stencils, pencils, her journal, and anyone’s guess what else. In her other hand was an $8 bottle of red wine. She plopped her bag on the couch and proceeded to begin rummaging through the bottom of her tote, searching for her toothbrush amongst her paintbrushes and old protein bar wrappers.
Kara and I are opposites in so many ways. She’s chaos trapped in human form; I organize my closet by color and my bookshelves alphabetically. She creates amazing art out of driftwood and old road signs; I write research papers. She’s a raft guide; I practice yoga. She refurbishes old buses and airstreams; I keep houseplants. Her energy is high then low and back like any good artist; mine is grounded. She always has a new project, a new goal, a new medium she’s trying to create. But as opposite as we are, she’s my friend and a damn good one. She is the most supportive person I’ve ever met. When I want to feel good about how I’m looking today or a choice I’ve made, Kara is my ego boost.
She’s fierce and opinionated, not unfriendly but definitely unyielding, whereas I have highly adaptive behaviors. Beyond that, her unfettered opinions and loud demeanor spark my feminist flame and fuel my appetite for exploration and curiosity.”
We joke this is her “Kara-cature” of me. And it’s true, I do love adventure, exploring and making beautiful things with my hands.
I graduated with a Broadcast Journalism degree and worked as a Reporter and Newscast Director creating television. This led into becoming an Audio Visual Consultant for Meetings and Events within the hotel corporate sphere in Washington, DC. In between these careers, my love for the outdoors has flourished as I have worked as a whitewater wilderness guide and ski bum, but regardless of where my paycheck may be coming from, I would say I’ve always been an avid story teller and an artist my whole life. I love envisioning an end creation, and the process of making it into a reality with my hands. I have recently joined forces with a Colorado wedding venue to help curate one-of-kind, memorable events, full of artistic details, designed with you in mind.
Seven years ago, I sold most of everything I had, left DC, and bought a 24 passenger shuttle bus and converted it into a tiny home affectionately named Hank. I hit the road with the intentions of simplifying my life to focus more on my passion to create. After landing in Colorado and falling in love with this state, I sold Hank and bought a 1973 Airstream named Beatrice. I am currently renovating Bee to become an artistic, off-grid glamping experience and wedding venue rental. I hope to share my love for the outdoors and provide people with an opportunity to directly connect with nature and a simpler way of life.
I love new challenges and designing unique handmade pieces so feel free to reach out and book your very own glamping adventure and go rafting or get your own little piece of Bird of Karadise art.
#birdofkaradise
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