Karen has participated in art classes and workshops both nationally and at local levels. Her mediums range from watercolor and watermedia, to collage, encaustics, pastels and oil. Karen’s art education has included studies with Mary Whyte, Richard McKinley, Alvaro Castagnet, Pat Dews, Robert Burridge, Barbara Nechis, John Salminen, Birgit O’Connor, Cheng-Khee Chee, Stephen Quiller, Don Andews, Yan Pei-Ming, Michael Workman and Robert Johnson. In Iowa, Karen has taken various painting and drawing classes at the Des Moines Art Center. She has studied privately under Mary Muller, Hui Hua Lynn and Wendell Mohr. She is currently studying Chinese brush painting with California artists, Ning Yeh and SueMae Willhite.

Selected Shows, Juried Shows & Awards

Honorable Mention, Iowa Artists, 2005
Hoyt Sherman’s Annual Women’s Show, 2006-2009.
The Des Moines Women’s Club 100th Centennial Art Exhibition
Des Moines Art Center 2007
Heritage Art Gallery Juried Exhibits, 2005, 2006, 2007,2008.
Drake University Rural Lands Juried Exhibition, 2007.
Grace United Methodist Church 2008
The Fitch Gallery 2008
The Octagon Center for the Arts 2008
Pearson Lakes Art Gallery 2009
The Des Moines Women's Club 101st Art Exhibition 2010
Creating Wonderland at the Nicholas Street Gallery in Omaha, NE 2010
Iowa Watercolor Society, The Octagon Center for the Arts 2010
Paint On Our Shoes, Arts On Grand, Spencer, IA 2010
Lutheran Church of Hope, WDM, IA 2010

Professional Art Affiliations

Iowa Pastel Society – Charter Member
Pastel Society of America
Portrait Society of America
Iowa Watercolor Society, Past Membership Chair
American Watercolor Society
Transparent Watercolor Society
National Watercolor Society
California Watercolor Association
Paso Robles Art Association
Santa Barbara Art Association
Sumi-e Society of America

Travel

South Pacific, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bali, and Burma.