40 Under 40: Gallery leader Karlë Woods is bringing people together through art
Photo / Soubanh Phanthay
Karlë Woods is co-director of Lights Out Gallery in Norway, Oxford County.
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Significant professional accomplishment: Taking the step to follow my own path with people I love and trust by my side, rather than work for someone else or a large business or organization. I feel proud to be building a meaningful job, on my own terms, driven by my passion for art and the community it brings together.
Current state of mind: I am focused on the task at hand during this busy time of year and feeling optimistic!
Passion project: It’s my first season playing pool with the local Belfast Pool League, which I believe is the largest in the state right now. I’m on a team with seven other players, and we play nine-ball every Thursday night.
It feels great to be a part of a team, to root for each other weekly, and to hone our skills individually and collectively. It’s a sport that, like any other, values respect, good sportsmanship and a healthy dose of competition!
‘Lightbulb’ moment: I’ve been interested in fine art my whole life — making it, studying it and enjoying it — and graphic design and branding since high school. Being able to merge my interest in art with my skills in graphic design during the creation of Lights Out was certainly a lightbulb moment. It felt like exactly what I was meant to be pursuing and still does to this day.
Now we’re building a statewide arts organization that is full of passion, bringing people together through genuine connection, storytelling, education, and fun events that enrich our wider community!
Audacious goal: I would like to write and illustrate modern folk tales for children and adults inspired by my family’s heritage in the British Isles and Scandinavia.
Favorite quote: “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early! He arrives precisely when he intends to” — “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
Influential book: “The Red Tent,” by Anita Diamant
Favorite movie: “Ever After,” with Drew Barrymore
Best way to recharge: I love to cook for my friends and spend time in the woods or by the sea with my dog Jake.
At age 60: Satisfied with the work I have done in my life up to that point and in a place that feels like home, with the freedom to create art, surrounded by loved ones, family, animals and nature.
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