Karen Swearengen

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Karen Swearengen is a Canadian artist born in Manitoba but has lived most of her life in Calgary, Alberta, Canada , where she presently paints and instructs. Her need for artistic expression was always inherent and nurtured by an artist mother who emphasized the importance of form , line, and color. Karen was a diligent and successful student winning local awards. She has enjoyed many specialized courses and tutorials over the years and feels fortunate to have benefited from a number of instructors and mentors. Karen has been an instructor herself since 1987 and communicates to her students the deep personal relationship one has with their work and so emphasizes the importance of personal style ,backed up with a good foundation. Her goal is to give students the educational tools and the confidence to carry out their expressions and visions. Design principles apply to all mediums, many of which Karen is proficient in, including watercolor, acrylic, pastel and especially oil for its fluid quality. While Karen enjoys being in the studio she’s most in her element painting plain air with her favorite destination being southern California. Alberta’s really one of the world’s most beautiful places to paint and every opportunity is seized to take advantage of it, good weather or bad. Travel affords so many visions as Karen is also an avid photographer although primarily to recall scenic encounters. Karen feels that a painting is like a musical orchestration bringing all the beautiful notes together to create as symphony for the heart and eyes. This is the exhilarating feeling experienced as the brush is laid to rest!