Karen Parker

"There is a lot of talent out there, but it takes persistence. You just have to want it as much as breathing." Karen Lorena Parker says. Karen is a successful artist who's paintings have been in a few publications. Some including Vancouver Sun, Western Living and many others. She was born in South America and she grew up in Calgary, Alberta. Dedicating her life to art at such a young age, Karen has had the opportunity to work in many areas of art. Some of these include graphic arts, 3-D models, sculpting and of course, painting. Karen believes that with thick skin and perseverance, anyone who is willing to work at it can be an artist. Karen now lives in British Columbia, Canada.

What job did you have before becoming an artist?

I have worked in a hospital: Psychiatry, taking bodies to the morgue, collecting blood specimens. I have worked in marketing, as a graphic artist, and in film studios.

Does the place you live effect on your art?

Absolutely. When I went to art school, I was very interested in figurative, nudes, abstract art. I always knew Canada had a beautiful landscape but only after a visit to Taiwan did I recognize how precious our clean open natural space is. In Dubai I enjoyed the differences of coastal and desert light, but also the shadows it casts. It is an honor to try preserve and document beauty in art.

What is your biggest inspiration for art?

The way I feel when I am painting. It is the biggest joy and inspiration to create, nothing else gives me the same feeling.

Is there a style of art you're interested in trying?

I admire all visual techniques. I like realism, impressionism, and all the different styles that different mediums can express.

How do you know when a piece you're working on is done?

I realized over time, that my interest is in atmospheric perspective. It is one thing to draw two lines merging into a vanishing point, but what color next to another color achieves the same visual distance? The way it is hazy on the horizon, blurry compared to a foreground. Or a lighter shadow in the distance compared to high contrast in the foreground. I like many many layers, instead of just a foreground, midground, background. I try to achieve this sense of depth, and then I know I am finished.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Everywhere. Interior design, illustration, sculpture, science, engineering, creative problem solving, my children, their stories. Art is so many things, artists are everywhere, we can be inspired all day if we listen.

"You just have to want it as much as breathing."

Where do you see yourself as an artist in the next 10 years?

I am studying more contemporary photography and film techniques that I plan to incorporate.

What is your biggest advice for aspiring artists?

100 paintings, or 10,000 hours is the only way you will get better. Take the criticism from anyone. Try it. Discover what your intention is, put words to it, make it, and feel your success every time.

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