Karen was raised on a farm in the grape growing region of Stellenbosch, South Africa. It was there that she and her sister spent hot, dusty afternoons riding their horses with their dogs, soaking up the rich colors of the vineyards surrounding their home. Karen's earthy color palette - chocolate brown, ochre, olive, deep blues and burnt reds - are drawn from the land she grew to love. And much of what Karen paints today - landscapes, horses, chickens, rolling hills and shanty houses - are tapestries of her memories and imagination.
Karen has been drawing and sketching throughout her life, and began painting just over a decade ago after attending an art exhibition in which her sister had participated. "Out of the blue, I was overwhelmed with a desire to paint," she remembers. She enrolled in the Pieter Vermaak Art School situated in an old wine cellar on a working wine farm. "I started painting with oils and my style was more refined. I have since switched to acrylics, and adopted a more rustic style."
If you stopped by Karen's home, you would find bowls of found objects: shells picked up in Zanzibar, sea glass from Mexico, ostrich eggshells, and guinea fowl feathers from Africa. You might also find tin Milagros from her travels to Santa Fe. Inspired by her own life experiences more than anything else, Karen likes to add personal touches to her paintings by way of these intriguing objects, which sometimes lie hidden on her canvas as a surprise treasure for the viewer.
Karen currently lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her three most fantastic supporters: her husband, Tiaan, and their daughters, Isabelle and Nina; as well as their rescue dog, Josie, and adopted cat, Cobweb. She loves riding and hiking which provides her the perfect opportunity to spend essential time outdoors. "Being outdoors connects me to Nature, which is the greatest inspiration."
