Karen sees the beauty and mystery of the land and its people as a magical dialogue between the two. While she  fine tunes techniques learned through mentors and self directed studio work, she seeks to balance internal psychological questions with social commentaries. Using either acrylic, oil, watercolor or mixed media collage, Karen chooses the media that best fits a particular purpose.

Solo exhibit Highlights are: “Rainbow Journey: a Path of Family and the Land Upon Which They Lived”, at the Western Colorado Center for the Arts in Grand Junction in 2011; “Bold Women on the Comstock”, St. Mary’s Art Center, Virginia City, NV, 2015 and summer exhibits at the Tallac Historical Society at South Lake Tahoe, 1990-2003. Treasured experiences are a Thomas Moran Fellowship she was awarded by which she lived and worked as artist-in-residence in Yellowstone Park; and Nevada State Arts Council grants through which she studied with Joellyn Duesberry (environmentalist abstract expressionist) and Sant Sabaugh Kahlsa, (feminist environmental artist) at the Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snow Mass, Colorado. And most recently, curated into the Reno Fine Arts Collective led Karen to participate in the first Reno Tahoe International Art Expo at the Reno Convention Center in 2022. 

During her teaching career of over 30 years, Karen wrote grants for and supervised artist-in-residence programs for both Storey and Lyon County School Districts.  She seeded the origin of the Nevada Art Educators Association, for which she was awarded Nevada Art Educator of the year, and presided over that organization for several years afterwards.  She has also illustrated books for three different authors: Shaun Griffin, Dr. Annette Child-Orz, and Jill Masstaccio.  Karen’s award winning work can be seen by appointment at her Carson City, NV. studio, and through exhibits at the Nevada Artist Association, Sierra Arts Foundation,  and the Reno Fine Art Collective websites and live galleries.