Artist Statement

My subject matter is nature under a microscope. The focus is on our changing climate. What we can see and what remains hidden. I use watercolor inks, Japanese Sumi ink, salt and Caran D’ache pencils to capture movement and life. Everything is created in a spontaneous and organic dance with the motion of the brush as it meets the paper. I make little attempt to portray actual plants or animals though I do want my creations to look like they have lived or grown somewhere. Perhaps they are what has past or what’s to come. Living with beautiful objects that pay tribute to the natural world reminds us to slow down and reconnect with the world around us.

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Artist Biography

A graduate of Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Karen Cole began as a painter and art educator. For 50 years she has explored and exhibited a wide variety of media, from painting to ceramics, glass, and mixed media. She continues to experiment with color, pattern, line and texture in her current watercolor expressions. She has exhibited at the Snyderman Works Gallery, Woodmere Art Museum, Wayne Art Center, University of the Arts, Salus University Gallery 431, Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Art Center and others, and her work can be found in many private collections. Karen has written articles for magazines including Somerset Studio, Art Journaling Magazine, Artful Blogging, Belle Armoire Jewelry, and Artists Café. She is a featured artist in select publications including Creative Wildfire by L.K. Ludwig and The Pulse of Mixed Media by Seth Apter, both available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Education

1974-Present (Workshops)

Lucartha Kohler - Cast and fused glass

Judith Schaechter - Glass

Syd Carpenter - Ceramics

Bill Daley - Ceramics

Michael DeMeng - Assemblage

Keith Lo Buc - Assemblage

Susan Lenhart Kazmer - Assemblage

1973

BS, Art Education, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

1971

BA, Painting, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA

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Bibliography

2010

LK Ludwig, Creative Wildfire, Quarry Books - Featured Artist

Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine, "What to Wear to an Art Opening"

2009

Art Journaling Magazine, "Travel Journaling"

Somerset Studio Magazine, Artwork Featured

Somerset Studio Magazine, "Repoussage"

Art Journaling Magazine, "Texture is your Journal"

Artful Blogging Magazine "Artsortments"

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Professional Experience

Workshops

Present

Workshop Instructor;

Collage, Assemblage, Painting, Journaling, Copper Tooling

Related Experience

1979 - Present

RAC Enterprises DBA Worldwide Stereo

Art Director -Design, Merchandising, Photography

Teaching

1973 -1982

Philadelphia School District

Art Instructor, K-12

Exhibitions

New Now VI, InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Restaurant Isabella - Mixed Media Show

"Contemporary Voices", Woodmere Art Museum - Juried Exhibit

"The Found Object", Snyderman Works Gallery Invitational

Annual Glass Auction - Fused Glass, National Liberty Museum

Glass Exhibit - Fused Glass, University of the Arts

Juried Craft Show - Jewelry, Loveladies Art Center

The Clay Cup, Abington Art Center

Members Show, Cheltenham Art Center

Under the Blue Moon, Chestnut Hill - One Woman Show