Karen is a developing painter and a long established Jeweller, having completed an apprenticeship in manufacturing jewellery (only the second female in Queensland to do so up to that time) . The design section of her trade required Karen to undertake technical drawing studies and she particularly enjoyed the process of determining the desires of the customer and manifesting it, firstly into a drawing and then into a piece of jewellery.  
Karen realised she had been taking photographs of special places for a long time, with the intention of painting them ‘one day’. Having settled into a period in her life where she can investigate her artistic aspirations, ‘one day’ is NOW. 

“My inspirations are limitless, and my restrictions are few” she states.

To say that Karen is passionate about her painting is a bit of an understatement. “I love to look at my paintings, they amaze me. Even when I don’t get them exactly as I had hoped they still show me something” She admits to wanting to keep them all, but a few have found their way around the world including the United Kingdom and the USA. The living world is her inspiration.  “I am intrigued by the interaction of light and movement with the natural world.” Karen says “The unseen influences which have subtle effects on our view of the things around us.” Trying to portray the invisible in a piece of art is her challenge.  “I look around with my eyes half closed a lot” she smiles. “I find it’s a way of seeing more… further into… a view, although perhaps I should stop walking while I do it.” 

Understanding that change and growth are ongoing in life, her recent pieces show a shift towards a more conceptual expression. 

" I find portraying a feeling, giving it form, very humbling. It's amazing when another person sees the exact emotion I was tring to express" 

Karen’s latest foray in the art world is creating a website to showcase and market her work. She admits to “knowing just enough about the Internet to get herself into trouble”, but has forged ahead regardless.