Meet Karen Storm of Manitou Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Storm.

Hi Karen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
”Expressing the essence of my subject … hopefully capturing the spirit of a moment in time is my goal.”

The moments in time I spent perched on a tall stool in my family’s floral shop seeded my soul with an appreciation of the importance of beauty in our world. As a young girl, I was mesmerized by my father’s hands as they danced with fragrant flowers to static-filled music on the radio. I passed him roses, carnations, stephanotis and even gladiolus grown in my grandmother’s backyard, as he sculpted magnificent arrangements to delight the bride-to-be and soothe the widow’s tears. My dad had a deep appreciation for beauty and nature. My art is rooted in my father’s greenhouse.

A graduate of University of Wisconsin – Madison, I create, exhibit, and teach in the Pikes Peak region. My paintings have received numerous awards in juried shows including the Colorado Governor’s Show, Best of Show 2019 and Special Merit Awards in the 2016 and 2018. My paintings are held in private and corporate collections throughout the country. I also teach landscape painting workshops. I am excited to encourage artists along their own artistic path by learning how to become effective visual communicators.

Professional affiliations include Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, Women Artists of the West, Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico and Outdoor Oil Painter Society.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
​Sometimes I have wondered, “Why make art?” Ins’t it self-serving? There are so many challenges we face in our world today. Does what artists do matter?
Then I remember meeting a woman for the fist time. When she heard my name, she said, “I want to thank you”. I was perplexed as I had never met this woman. Why would she be thanking me? She went on to tell me that she had gone through extremely painful chemotherapy, and she used one of my paintings as a focal point to make it through. So, if you are an artist reading this, don’t second guess what you do. You might never know the impact you are having on others and the world.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Through my art I hope to inspire others to slow down and be astonished by this joyful life!

Inspiration for my work rises out of travels and my life in Colorado, conveying an intimacy I feels with nature. I often paint en plein air (on location), immersing myself in the dance of shapes, colors and light of the landscape. Painting celebrates how the natural world touches my soul. My paintings are representational and impressionistic.

I like to tell a story when painting. It might be about an elusive moment in time, like how the light shifts with a passing cloud, or it might be about the strength and permanence of a mountainscape. Remote landscapes, that form most of my painting subjects, are wrapped in voices from the past. By painting on location, I feel like I am present to the whispers of nature from the past. I try to express this almost spiritual connection, bringing it to life on canvas.

As far as my process… I wander, looking for a vista that speaks to me and I write down my intention for a painting. What is the point of what I am doing here today? Then, I almost always start with one or more thumbnail sketches. I will rearrange elements to work in the composition. I then work on the canvas panel to pin down my value structure before mixing up piles of paint to lay in the rest of the painting. I paint for 2 hours or less because the light changes dramatically in that time frame. If the painting has potential, I might develop it into a larger piece in the studio.

I am known for my landscapes, however, I paint a variety of subjects. Staying curious about how to answer artistic questions, keeps it all fresh and exciting. It’s like dancing with different partners, I am always learning new steps which then inform the next dance.

I am always happy to work with people on commissions! Just contact me.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My life is graced with so many extraordinary teachers and experiences that I am truly grateful for.
However, showing up and working is the way to become proficient at anything.
Being peaceful and observing nature is the best teacher I’ve ever had.
For me, plein air painting is about gathering information, not necessarily creating finished paintings. I have learned so much; like the beautiful color in the shadows, and the atmospheric perspective I see in the distance, and all the subtlties that you cannot capture in a photographic reference.. A camera captures a static image which can be helpful in the studio, but the landscape that surrounds you on location is a buzzing with life. Painting THAT is what keeps me coming back!

Pricing:

• 400.00 – 4300

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karenstorm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenstormfineart/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenStormFineArt/
• Other: https://hunterwolffgallery.com/bios.cfm?artistid=180