About The Artists

Kara Strite is a mixed media artist currently working in a studio in Gatesville, Texas that she shares with her artist husband Jay.

Kara started dying silk in the mid '90s; that transitioned to dying a variety of papers-- many of them hand-made Japanese papers.  She would then rip or cut the paper to create landscapes, often focusing on ravens and mountains or coastal scenes that were inspired by her many years in Alaska.

While her art techniques are self-taught (or in some cases invented), Kara's techniques and themes are an amalgam of all her educational, professional, and travel experiences.

After displaying early work at the Highland Art Center and Main Street Gallery in Weaverville California, Kara was accepted as an Emerging Artist in the 2017 Main Street Fort Worth Art Festival.

Currently Kara and Jay are teaming up to produce collaborative works that combine Kara's dyed paper landscapes and Jay's engraved metal pieces.

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From the time he was dubbed 'Metal Man' for his proficiency in that medium in an art class, Jay Strite knew his path would follow a metallic route.

Born and raised (mostly) in California, Jay lives in Gatesville, Texas with his wife Kara.  Jay works out of "the best shop he has ever had" where he shapes metal to his will in a variety of ways.

Jay started his art education in California soon after getting out of the military and followed that with an on-the-job education at Jewelry by Waldron in South Dakota.  From there he stepped out on his own working with metal in his business Shabori Design Studio and Ravens Roost with an occasional foray into other mediums the High As A Kite and The Guitarsmiths.

Jay has been a lifelong collector of skills and in his latest venture - as part of Strite Studios - Jay is enjoying combining those skills in collaboration with his wife Kara and and pushing his art to even higher levels.