About: Artist Karen Kluglein

M.A., Fine Arts, University of Minneapolis, MN
Professional Studio Studies in Ceramics and Fibers, Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville, TN
B.A., Ceramics Emphasis, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Karen knew she was meant to be an artist by age 15. She knew she wanted to be able to support herself by her painting and after some research decided on majoring in illustration in art school. Soon after graduating she went to work with jobs for Ladies Home Journal and paperback book covers. Painting botanicals, still life or landscapes, in between illustration assignments, always remained an activity that allowed Karen to really express her creativity.

Today, Karen lives in New York with her daughter Lily, her fiancé Ray, 2 cats and her dog, Toto.

Beautiful objects are what I most enjoy painting, and what is more beautiful than nature? I begin with a photograph and use the image as a rough idea of what I want the painting to look like. I take into consideration how a plant grows. How a vine may hang down and then grow up towards the light, or how thick a woody branch is ridged. I play with the positive and negative space until I feel it looks right. I especially like to render the texture of what I am painting, whether it is reflective metal or fur on an animal. In nature it might be the way light reflects off a thick shiny leaf, or a sprouting onion that has thin peeling layers.

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