ARTIST TALK: Karena Massengill

Moderated by Melina Paris

Saturday, June 20, 1 – 3pm

Artist Karena Massengill works in both two and three dimensions, often beginning with a drawing on watercolor paper that becomes the pattern for a steel sculpture. As she traces the design with metal, the heat of the welding scorches the original image on paper. Out of this deliberate destruction emerges something new — a color-rich impression that reframes and deepens the original concept. Shown together, the burned drawing and the sculpture it inspired trace a journey of evolution, spiritual discovery, and self-reflection.

Melina Paris is an accomplished arts journalist, podcast producer, and cultural advocate. For more than a decade, she has illuminated the artistic landscape of Los Angeles, particularly focusing on the Harbor area. Through in-depth interviews and compelling narratives with artists of many mediums, she delves into their creative processes, often examining themes of social justice and environmental consciousness.