Biography
Born in Brighton, England in 1967, Karen soon learnt to draw and paint. First it was her mums lipsticks on the walls, moving up to crayons. You know the kind with the 1 silver or gold crayon in the pack. The sharpener at the back! Then moving up to t-shirt paints and painting on leather jackets. At the age of 3, her family moved to Canada. Here she spent most of her youth before embarking on her world travels to the America's, Far East and Europe. After years of not doing anything what so ever, well except for traveling the world, delving into things she shouldn't have. Which led her to the dark side and back again. She finally settled down and started a family. It was not until she had finished her Art History and Oil painting courses, that she felt the confidence to paint on canvas and board. The peace and serenity inspired her to paint again, But not the naive cartoons she once cherished. Seeing what her children have to face when they grow up has opened her eyes to the paths of horror which are out of her hands. Here she hopes to evoke a sense of curiosity and sereneness with the naive creatures she paints or the dreamy seascapes you could lose yourself in. She is exploring new boundaries all the time. She regards Frida Kahlo as her main inspiration, along with anime, Turner, and day to day life. She still listens to vinyl and probably the only person in the world without an IPOD. She prefers vintage clothing. There is something to be said about finding a beautiful item that you have to work for rather than entering into a shop with fifty of the same garments on the rack. Her paintings have been exhibited and sold worldwide, having exhibited at some of the top gallery's in the world. One of her first was at the Cpop Gallery in Detroit where Pop art first took hold. Karen especially enjoys doing charity work as the rewards far out weigh any monetary means. Karen has exhibited along side Peter Blake, Klauss Voorman and Turner Prize winner Richard Long. Karen splits her time at the edge of the downs , in the south of England. Where the fog links the underworld and reality. And the other time in the South of France in a charming old farmhouse. On a foggy night you can hear the dead whisper, and see them dancing on the common,beckoning you to join them. Just once maybe she has.............
Karen works in her studio at the bottom of her garden.
ARTISTS STATEMENT:
Having been quite shy all my life I have found Painting a way of expressing myself. What started out as therapy for my soul, has turned into therapy for others. I have always been drawn to paintings or images that speak volumes without words. Like the old silent films, which I cherish. The Turner sky's, that to me are indescribable yet the emotion they evoke in me is so deep. Sometimes when I create my skies I find myself getting lost in them. I am always looking upward, toward the horizon, dreaming.... My dreams, yes they are full of images. Flashing on my eye lids like my own projector. Do others feel this? My body sleeps at night but my mind awakens. The two are in a constant battle with each other. I also feel ever so strongly about the whole balance of life. The light and the dark. For one cannot truly exist without the other. I try and reflect each in my work. A solitary dark tree, strong and alluring. But then a huge vessel of light beckoning behind. But which one is stronger? Only you hold your own key.....
Karen has taken part in the Stars on Canvas exhibition this December at London's SW1 Gallery for the WILLOW FOUNDATION.
Stars on Canvas is a charity exhibition for The Willow Foundation. Each of the 300 small canvases has been drawn by well-known names from the worlds of sport, design, art, music and entertainment. Some demonstrate the individual’s artistic flair, others their personality or alter ego. Just a few of the stars involved are Jude Law, Matt Damon, Gordon Ramsey, Norman Cooke, Sir Bob Geldof, John Hurt, Gary Lineker, Catherine Tate.
A public exhibition of all the canvases was held at London's SW1 Gallery from December 2 to 6. To find out more go to www.willowfoundation.org.uk/starsoncanvas
I am pleased to say that over £41,000.00 was raised for the charity, but most of all the their profile was raised from such great press coverage.
WELL DONE!
