Artistic History

Portion of "Dreaming of a Summer's Day" SOLD

"I celebrate the art of imperfection that is the result of layering paint to achieve a balance of color and texture. My canvas rarely ends up where it started."

Like Odilon Redon “I await joyous surprises while working, an awakening of the materials
that I work with and that my spirit develops”.

Reflections of a Summer's Day SOLD

As a mixed-media artist using paint, collage and found objects, I like to explore dimensions of creativity in an intuitive way, giving context to universal concepts, archetypes and cultural traditions.

By drawing on my lifelong experience with ceramics, weaving, basket making, paper-making and painting, I create pieces of art with multi-layer textural effect and design. I invite you to look beneath the surface and discover the impression of mystery!

Karen has a passion for pursuing creativity in all aspects of her life. She has been taking art classes and workshops since 1968 beginning at the Carmel School of Art in Carmel, CA and then Callenwolde in Atlanta studying ceramics. She has a minor in Art from Western Carolina University concentrating on weaving. While working on her Masters at WCU she took up the art of papermaking to keep her creative juices flowing. Her next artistic exploration was in applying paint in textural layers, synthesizing and adapting lessons learned from her many sources. The outcomes on her canvas and paper can evoke impressions of what lies beneath the surface.

Tallulah Gallery in Tallulah Falls, GA
Catawba Gallery and Kiln Time in Black Mountain
The Aiken Artist Guild, (1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Awards)
Aiken Center for the Arts, The Artists' Parlor, The Hitchcock Center and the Etheredge Center at USC Aiken, Aiken Historical Museum
The Screen Door in Asheville
Art with Heart in Saluda, NC
The TAAS Gallery in Old Fort, NC
Atelier24 Lexington in Asheville, NC
Tryon Fine Art Center, Tryon, NC
Sourwood Gallery, Black Mountain, NC
Red House Studios and Gallery, Black Mountain NC

2008 Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Juried Show at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.
2009 SVFAL Juried Show (2nd Place Award)
2010 Juried Show Tryon Painters & Sculptors
2010 SVFAL Juried Show at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts
2010 Bascom Gallery Invitational (Higlands NC)
2011 Bring Us Your Best, Henderson Co Arts Council
Her work has been published three times in "Sommerset Studio" an international paper arts magazine.
2012 1st Place in Mixed Media, SVFAL 45th Annual
2012 SVFAL Juried Exhibit at Black Mountain Center for the Arts

Karen's works are currently found at Arrowhead Gallery in Old Fort, NC and The Garden Spot in Fairview, NC