Growing up in the one of the most picturesque environments on the North Island of New Zealand, among farmlands and beaches, Karen had a love for nature’s beauty instilled in her from an early age. Later, in her teens, her family immigrated to the Bay Area where she won a scholarship to attend the Academy of Art.

After completing her Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration, Karen found her love of teaching while volunteering at a local Elementary school. She would return to the Academy of Art University to hone her oil painting skills while pursuing her Masters in Fine Art.

Working in numerous media including watercolor, oil, pastel, acrylic, pen and ink, Karen’s paintings are noted for their luminosity, color harmony and expressive brush work.

With each piece, the viewer is taken on a journey through her experiences by capturing vivid mood and essence within her and translating that to the canvas or paper, whether for portraits, still life or landscapes.

Having taught art to students of all ages and skill levels for 20 years, Karen still says that one her greatest joys is teaching painting and helping students discover their individual abilities.