LINCOLN, Neb. – Keren Carlson is mostly known for being behind the camera. She can be found in dark, sweaty local bars with her Polaroid camera. Other times, she is in her art studio, Joe’s Coffee Parrish, chatting with other artists with dimly lit paintings hanging beside her.
Looking through a tiny screen from afar may seem like a disconnected form of art, but Carlson’s art of photography has actually brought her much closer to people than she expected.
The 22-year-old is the brains behind Sketch Club, a Lincoln third-space for artists. With all the tension and uncertainty in the world, this Lincoln artist’s weekly gathering has become a safe space for all members of a small community including queer and neurodivergent artists.
‘Invite the boy to paint’
The idea of Sketch Club was born at midnight under a ladder. Carlson had a crush on a boy…