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.
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.
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
Current
Workshop Instructor
Collage, Assemblage, Painting, Journaling, Copper Tooling
1979 - Present
RAC Enterprises DBA Worldwide Stereo
Art Director, Design, Merchandising, Photography
1973 -1982
Philadelphia School District, Art Instructor, K-12
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
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"