Biography
Karen grew up with art all around her. Her mom, Barbara Murdock Brown, was a prolific impressionistic oil painter who was highly collected on the east coast. Karen’s knowledge of color and appreciation for the world around her grew from watching her mom paint and appreciating the beauty in the world around us.
Karen graduated in studio art and went on to receive her MFA at the University of Maryland in College Park in color lithography. After graduate school, Karen began to explore watercolor and became fascinated and captivated by its subtleties and possibilities. Her award winning paintings have earned her signature membership in the National Watercolor Society, Baltimore Watercolor Society and Potomac Valley Watercolorists. She is past president of the Olney Art Association, where her mother was a founding member. She illustrated two textbooks that her husband wrote as a psychology professor at the University of Maryland.
Teaching
Karen taught at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and the Yellow Barn at Glen Echo for many years. Since the beginning of Covid, she now teaches watercolor on Zoom, 10:00-12:30 on Saturday mornings. Each week, Karen covers the work of a prominent watercolor artist and then paints a two hour demo. She also conducts a free critique session on Zoom in the evening, generally once weekly.
Artist’s Statement
Painting puts me in a place that is contemplative yet dynamic. When I begin to paint, I lay out specific lines and plan with certain colors through preliminary sketches and working from life. It never fails that my viewpoint changes and expands as I work. This process is always surprising to me and fuels not only my passion to paint, but my trust in God’s goodness to create though me and each one of us
Education
B.A. University of Maryland
M.F.A. University of Maryland
Memberships
National Watercolor Society, since 2021
Baltimore Watercolor Society, since 2001
Potomac Valley Watercolor Association, since 2004
Olney Art Association, since 1996, President 2013 – 2014