Karen Chambers

Artist's Statement and Biography

"A slender flash of light on a shadowed background; a spot of turquoise, red or purple at an unexpected interval; the glistening of water at low tide; a quiet foggy morning, the play of light on the side of a face; are all things that attract my attention when I paint. These are best painted in plein air – in the out of doors, where the colors are true. By working outside, I am able to enjoy two of the things that give me the most pleasure: being outside and painting on location in pastels. I learned that there is more color than the eye can see, if one learns how to perceive it.”

I started painting in pastels when I was 13 years old. I always found myself attracted to the vibrancy and ease of application of the pastel medium. I found that they allowed me the freedom to change my mind whenever I wanted, to produce a painting that has an emotional feel or visual impact.

Art Instruction and Experience

Received a Minor in Fine Art at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 1972
W/C Workshop with Bernard Evans, Mounts Bay Art Center, Newland, England 1990 & 1992
W/C Workshop with Skip Lawrence, 1993
Weekly Classes in W/C with Sandra Brughes Moore 1990-1995
Pastel Workshop with Elsie Dresch of Atlanta, 1994
Pastel Workshop with Albert Handell, 2002
IAPS Workshop with Margaret Evans - 2005
Pastel Landscape Workshop with Richard McKinley - 2006
Margaret Dyer - Figure - 2008

My favorite subject is the out of doors. It is there that I have found my greatest happiness. A challenge I cannot ignore is that of painting the atmosphere of a place at a given time. My colors are spontaneous, bright, and joyful. The following instructors have influenced my choice and use of color. These are: Elsie Dresch, who taught me the value of a good underpainting; Albert Handell, who instructed me on the use of color layering; Skip Lawrence, who taught me not to place dull or neutral darks in my paintings; Margaret Evans, who taught me to add life to my paintings; Richard McKinley, who taught me to be sure to add spark to my paintings to make them visually stimulating; and Margaret Dyer, from whom I gained an insight into a different approach to the application of color on the clothed figure.

My first teaching experience was a two-day pastel workshop for the Asheville Art League. To see my students, many of whom had not used pastels before, attack the assignment with obvious enjoyment and a little trepidation was a joy to me. This experience happened again the next year for the Swannanoa Valley Fine Art League. In 2001, I was asked to join the art faculty to teach the use of soft pastels for three years at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. This proved to be a learning experience for me as well as for my students, many of whom were new to the medium.

I am currently instructing students around the Western North Carolina area and in workshops throughout the Southeastern and Southwestern U.S.

My Paintings have been shown in these juried exhibitions and other venues:

"Eleventh International Open Exhibition," Southeastern Pastel Society, Atlanta, GA. 2004.
Halpert Biennial National Exhibition, Boone, NC, 2005.
State of the Art, Associated Artists of Winston Salem, NC, 2005.
"Fall into Art," Charlotte Art League, NC, 2005.
Pastel Society of North Carolina First Exhibition, 2006.
Appalachian Pastel Society Juried Member Exhibition 2007.
Appalachian Pastel Society, Juried National Exhibitions 2008.
Other Venues: Decatur Fine Arts League Juried Open Exhibition, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA., Southeastern Pastel Society, GA.,
Southworks Artist Market, Watkinsville, GA., Charlotte Art League, NC., Associated Artists of Winston Salem juried Exhibitions, NC., Art League of Henderson County, NC., and Swannanoa Valley Fine Art League, NC.
Portrait Society of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 2007

My paintings are hanging in private collections in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arlington, VA, and have been exhibited at Gallery 1401 in Chattanooga, TN.

Art Organizations
of which I am an Active and Exhibiting Member

Southeastern Pastel Society since 1996.
Asheville Art League since 1999.
Charlotte Art League since 1999.
Associated Artists of Winston Salem since 2005.
Swannanoa Valley Fine Art League since 2003.
Art League of Henderson County since 2004.
Performing Artist in the Haywood County School 'Quick Draw' since 2005, Waynesville, NC since 2005.
Appalachian Pastel Society, Asheville, NC since 2006
Pastel Society of North Carolina since 2006.
Piedmont Pastel Society, Charlotte, NC, since 2007
Portrait Society of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA since 2007

e-mail: Karen@karenchambers.com
Telephone: (828) 665-8538

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