Karen Baker CPS PSA PSTB
“The most exciting aspect of the painting experience is the creative process itself: that spontaneous flow of energy working through the artist, condensed into form. Each one of my paintings is a momentary pause in the ongoing expression of who I am…”
Artist-instructor Karen Baker paints what inspires her the most—the world of Nature and its ever-changing landscape in all seasons. “As a child I was always outdoors playing so it’s no surprise to me that I’m still exploring Nature and all its mysteries through my artwork.”
Karen’s portfolio covers a range of subjects: rural New England farm buildings, meadows and mountain vistas; lowland waterways of the South; Florida’s coastal shorelines, deep water, and dramatic skies. She is also known for her colorful floral paintings, particularly the prolific Poppy Series featuring blooms in open fields, garden settings, and detailed close-up studies. “I often develop a theme into an extended series which enables me to go beyond the subject’s surface reality into the realm of imagination, where most of my images are conceived.” To date, the Poppy Series alone has produced over 160 original paintings—becoming her signature image and symbolic “self-portrait.”
Interwoven with natural light and subtle emotion, Karen’s paintings are highly textural and expressive of her ongoing dialogue with Nature. “There’s a peace and completeness I resonate with in Nature. I especially love the soft, late afternoon sunlight, with its long shadows and warm colors.” She is skilled at using color not only to render form but, at times, to create great depth in the picture plane. Her landscapes are clearly recognizable by their dramatic skies and full-palette hues, whether she’s working in acrylics, watercolors, or pastels—her primary medium.
When she begins a new painting, she uses plein air studies, value sketches, and photo references as visual aides to help identify what her “inner landscape” reveals about the essence of her subject. This practice serves as a springboard for the creative process that follows until the final image appears within the illusion of space. “For me, the painting process is much more interesting to behold than simply producing a work of art. It’s exciting to watch creativity in action, bringing images to “light” in the visual realm. It’s a spiritual journey and joy ride…”
Karen has participated in many regional and national art events and shows where her work has won awards through international art magazine competitions including Pastel Journal and The Artist’s Magazine.
She is an artist member of Vermont Pastel Society and a Signature Member of the Connecticut Pastel Society, Pastel Society of America and Pastel Society of Tampa Bay. She studied extensively with the late Master Pastellist Herman Margulies and has attended workshops given by Wolf Kahn and PSA signature members Stanley Maltzman, Elizabeth Apgar-Smith, Christina DeBarry, and Albert Handell.
In addition to creating original artwork, she enjoys teaching others how to express their innate creativity. “I love cultivating the creative process in my students.” She is on faculty at both Dunedin Fine Art Center and the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she teaches the art of landscape painting. She also offers lessons in her Dunedin studio and has conducted a variety of art workshops for beginner to advanced levels at various locations throughout southern Vermont and west coast Florida. An active member of the arts community, she supports many civic art projects through volunteering her time and talents.
She is represented by galleries in New England and Florida and maintains a year-round studio at Stirling Art Studios & Gallery, an artists’ collective in Dunedin Fl.
Karen’s original artwork is included in private collections throughout the US, Europe, and Japan. Many of her images are now available as quality fine art reproductions for both home and business environments. Visit ThePoppyPaintings.com