Karen grew up along the gulf coast in Florida and
Charleston SC. She currently lives with her husband Jim in
Charlottesville Virginia. Karen has had a deep desire to create art
began at a young age. Karen’s parents encouraged her artistic growth
with art lessons and visits to art museums. She was educated in
business and had a successful career as an accountant. Karen’s true
passion was to create art. She left behind her business career to
devote all her time to her first love, art. She has never regretted
making that decision. Karen is always learning, studying, practicing
patience and keeping her commitment to art to be exciting and
challenging. She observes and translates her subjects with impression,
imagination and expression using the artist’s tools of color and truth.
Karen strives to communicate to the viewer the feel of a
place……..warmth of the day the smell of the grass, the trees, the ocean
spray…..how the light and atmosphere changes colors. She hopes that her
paintings take you to the places of their inspiration.
Education:
1998 – 2002 Four years academic studies specifically:
Design, Theory, Composition, Drawing, Color theory,
Art History, Abstract all media, Painting all media to advanced classes
1998 to Present
Studies in design and composition
McGuffey Art Center:
Barbara McCullem
Rick Weaver: Portrait
Marion Reynolds: Oil painting, composition, seeing color
Beverly Street Studio School
Ron Boehmer: Plein Air Landscape
Studied
With:
Kevin Macpherson; Kevin Sealy; C W Mundy; Richard Schmid; Ken Austor
Honors and Awards
2008 Art on the Green; Lexington, Virginia, Honor of Distinction
Category: Oil Landscape: Judged Robert Stuart
2008 Bath County Art Show; Hot Springs, Virginia, Award Choice Category
Oil
2007 Shenandoah Valley Art Center Juried Members Show; Waynesboro,
Virginia; Second Place: Oil
2007 Bath County Art Show; Hot Springs, Virginia, Judges Choice Award;
Category Oil
2008 Nelson Gallery Plein Air Paint Lexington
Professional
Affiliations:
Oil Painters of America
MAPAPA Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association
Beverly Street Studio School
Artist member CoArt Gallery, Staunton Virginia
BozArt Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia
Shenandoah Valley Arts Center
Juried shows:
2010
Nelson Gallery’s Annual Paint Lexington; Juried Show; Lexington,
Virginia
2010 Bath County Art Show: Hot Springs, Virginia
2010 VCCA ; WETPAINT Plein Air Exhibition and auction; Charlottesville,
Virginia
2010 Art on the Green; Lexington, Virginia
2010 VMRC Annual Juried Art Exhibition; Harrisonburg, Virginia
2010 Bower Center for the Arts; More Than a Mountain Exhibition;
Bedford, Virginia, Honorable Mention, Oil
2009 VMRC Annual Juried Art Exhibition; Harrisonburg, Virginia
2009 Bath County Art Show; Hot springs, Virginia
2009 CoArt Gallery; Staunton, Virginia
2008 VMRC’s Fifth Annual Juried Art Exhibition; Harrisonburg, Virginia
2008 Nelson Gallery’s Annual Paint Lexington; Juried Show; Lexington,
Virginia
2008 Bath County Art Show; Hot Springs, Virginia, Award Choice Category
Oil
2008 VMRC’s Fifth Annual Juried Art Exhibition; Harrisonburg, Virginia
2008 Art at the Mill, Juried Gallery Show, Burwell-Morgan Mill, Virginia
2008 Virginia House of Delegates: Richmond, Virginia
2008 International Miniature Art Show; Nags Head, North Carolina
2008 Art on the Green; Lexington, Virginia, Honor of Distinction
Category: Oil Landscape: Judged by Robert Stuart
2007 Shenandoah Valley Art Center Juried Members Show; Waynesboro,
Virginia; Second Place: Oil
2007 Bath County Art Show; Hot Springs, Virginia
2007 Shenandoah Valley Art Center; Waynesboro, Virginia
2007 Beverly Street Studio School, Staunton, Virginia
2002-2006 Art at the Mill, Gallery Show; Burwell-Morgan Mill, Virginia
2002-2004 International Miniature Art Show; Nags Head, North Carolina
2003 Aldie Mill, Gallery Show; Aldie, Virginia
2003 Virginia House of Delegates; Richmond, Virginia
2001, 2002 Paintings from the Piedmont, McGuffy Art Center;
Charlottesville, Virginia
Solo
shows:
2008 CoArt Gallery, Staunton, Virginia
2002 Westminster Canterbury; Charlottesville, Virginia
Gallery
Shows:
2007 Beverly Street Gallery; Staunton, Virginia
2007 CoArt Gallery; Staunton, Virginia
2005 Sage Moon Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia
2003 Beverly Street Gallery; Staunton, Virginia
2003 Second Street Gallery; Charlottesville, Virginia
2002 McGuffy Art Center; Charlottesville, Virginia