Karen White

Artist's Statement

Through painting, my hope is to share the exhilaration I feel when encountering each unique scene in nature. I love to infuse my plein air landscapes and florals with vivid color and subtle texture to express the feeling of a particular scene. Whether hiking in our foothills, exploring the Central Valley or watching nearby flowers bloom, the landscape is a constant source of artistic inspiration. I first complete many of my paintings as outdoor studies, en plein air, and interpret or enlarge these initial works later in my studio using using photos as scenic reminders.

Biography and Art Education

Born in southern California, I moved to the Bay Area in the early 1960s, when much of the region was agricultural. Nearby outdoor views and years of family trips to our national parks were early inspirations. What started as oil painting classes in childhood ultimately became a lifelong journey.

In parallel with separate career and volunteer pursuits, my art education has included nearly 15 years at the Pacific Art League, Palo Alto Art Center and California Academy of Painters, with Jim Smyth and Brigitte Curt. I continue to study with Van Waldron and take workshops whenever possible, most recently with Brian Blood, Lindy Duncan and Camille Przewodek.

2010 Exhibitions

February 6 - March 10, "A Quiet View," at 20th Street Art Gallery, Sacramento
February 9 - April 11, "Patterns and Abstractions of Nature," at Filoli Center, Woodside
March 1 - April 3, Solo Show, "California Colors, at Viewpoints Gallery
April 7 - May 29, Spring 20/20 Show, 20th Street Art Gallery, Sacramento
May 6 - June 7, The May Show, Gualala Arts Center
May 15 and 16, Los Altos Rotary Fine Art in the Park, Lincoln Park, Los Altos
May 29 - June 27, "Nature's Treasures," Contemporary Landscape Painters of California; Statewide Competition, Santa Cruz Art League.

Selected Prior Exhibitions

2009 - Invitational Exhibit - SVOS/Pacific Art League
2009 - "20-20" Show, 20th Street Art Gallery, Sacramento
2009 - "Paint Allied Arts," Allied Arts Guild, Menlo Park
2009 - Two-Artist Exhibit, "Land and Light," Gallery House, Palo Alto
2009 - Los Gatos Art Association Annual Open Exhibit, Statewide Competition - Honorable Mention
2009 - Los Gatos Plein Air
2009 - Silicon Valley Open Studios
2009 - "Color Notes," Pacifica Center for the Arts
2008 - University Art Open Competition (Third Place, Oils and Acrylics)
2008 - Los Gatos Art Association Open Juried Show
2008 - Triton Museum, Santa Clara, "A Brush with Nature"
2008 - David McKay Gallery, History Park, San Jose, "A Breath of Plein Air"
2008 - Silicon Valley Open Studios
2007 - Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, "Moments in Time"