Karen was eight years old when she decided to “be a famous artist someday”. She worked hard at it, drawing everyday, taking every art class that came her way and gleaning knowledge from every artist she encountered. She pursued her dream through Art Schools in Sweden, Community Colleges and a California University. Even after marriage she managed to stay an artist working in textiles on her own loom and traveling to Guatemala where she worked with the native weavers always wanting her creations to be authentic and the best she could produce. Karen credits her textile years for giving her the great depth and variation of colors apparent in her pastel works of today. She slowed the pursuit of her personal dreams to raise two creative and artistic young men then rejoined her quest like never before. And, somewhere during this time, Karen decided that relocation to the Southwest was to play a part in becoming that “famous artist”. Oh, how right she was!

     In August 2001 her father passed away. Then came 9/11 and everyone’s world turned upside down. But life’s negatives are never too far away from the positives. Seeking solace and peace from back-to-back tragedies, Karen headed for Sedona. There, among the red rocks, she met Dwight, her husband-to-be. Very soon, Karen and Dwight decided there was no time like the present to reach for the dream of that eight year old and so she and her new husband left behind all that was known and safe for the wilds of New Mexico. Within three months of that, she designed her own studio and broke ground for its building! There was no turning back now; the momentum was growing.

     Moving to New Mexico proved to be a major stepping stone in Karen’s quest. She found herself in a “new” world of old living ways surrounded by ranches, cowboys, cowgirls, cattle, cactus, sagebrush, adobe and wide open spaces! And, of course, there were horses, a subject Karen had not even thought of trying in California. Her first try at equine was near perfect. Horse people of all kinds loved her equine paintings and clamored for more! Then something really amazing happened, Karen went to her first rodeo. She began painting the cowboys and cowgirls, the broncs, the bulls, the sheep, the ropers, the riders, the competition and living on the edge for eight seconds. Today Karen’s wonderfully unique and action packed rodeo works combined with her southwest architecture and ranch works are fast gaining momentum as some of the best representational western art that can be acquired. So much so that recently Karen was invited into membership with the Western Artists of America (WAA) of which there are only 24 active members. Karen will tell you that she has much to learn about the west and its inhabitants. And, as she grows with the west so grows her art; as she says, “My work gets better with every stroke and with every lesson I learn about living in the West. I really, really love what I do and who I am. That makes me famous!” Almost as famous as her ancestor cousin, Jesse James!