Spring Gallery Night Visiting Artist - Karen Watson-Newlin
About Karen Watson-Newlin
Artist Statement
Landscapes, flora, abstracts- the cohesive thread throughout my acrylic paintings on canvas is a love of nature. This series from nature is inspired by orchids and irises. I am intrigued with sculptural forms discovered in the flowers and the sensual nature. When examined closely, the subject matter becomes secondary to the abstract shapes. Focus on the eye movement in the composition is important to me. As I build layer upon layer, I hope the viewers will feel compelled to discover a visual connection to the forms, colors and discovery of repetitive patterns.
Of course, Wisconsin native artist, Georgia O’ Keeffe is an inspiration as she was a pioneer in painting nature in a zoomed composition to encourage the viewer to discover nuances of the subject. 2026 will be 40 years since her death at the age of 98.
I participate in about 10-12 shows each year, ranging from art fairs, group shows and solo exhibitions. Since retiring from teaching art in 2011, painting is my fulltime occupation. I have work in corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad, including American Girl, Asperius Hospital, Epic Systems Corporation, Northwestern Mutual Insurance, Sauk Prairie Healthcare Clinic, Scooter Software Corporation, Singlewire Digital and others.
