Karen
Stene...
Karen Stene was born, raised and educated in Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada. Having been born into a creative family that includes photographers,
opera singers, lecturers and architects, her artistic talent was recognized
and encouraged to develop at any early age.
After graduating from University of British Columbia,
a career in modeling fueled Karen’s love of travel and enabled her
to pursue artistic studies at the Emily Carr Art Institute in Vancouver
and the Institute d’Allende School of Art in San Miguel, Mexico.
An irrepressible wanderlust transports Karen Stene
to the far reaches of the world and her artistic talent carries the
viewer along for the journey. “One witnesses an excitement and depth
of color when surrounded by a horizon of blue in Thailand, an ocean
of silk in India, or a vegetable market in Corsica.” Having traveled
the globe on a beautiful self-built sailboat, Karen finds an inner
peace on the sea where she is mesmerized by the depth of color, perspective
and ever-changing light that inspires sensations which find a home
on her lavish canvases.
Taking a landscape from the Spanish coast, columns
from a palace in India or a Loggia from an Italian palazzo, the artist
combines elements from world travels to create one perfect place.
Gold leaf is often added to create a three dimensional quality as
the gold pulls light from the outside and plays across the painting
to create life and movement allowing the viewer to interact with her
world of experiences.
The award winning artwork of Karen Stene has been
exhibited and collected around the globe. The artist has been honored
with numerous solo shows and has affiliations including the Fort Lauderdale
and Boca Raton Museums of Art, the Palm Beach County Cultural Council,
the Federation of Canadian Artists and the National Museum of Women
in the Arts in Washington, D.C.