ABOUT KAREN GREEN RECOR

BIOGRAPHY

Karen was born in 1946 in Connecticut where she was inspired to create artwork by her mother, art teachers, and artists about which she read. She loved to paint and learn about other cultures. She pursued her art education at Russel Sage College (BS), Southern Connecticut State University (MS), Wesleyan University (CAS) and Hartford Art School, University of Hartford (MFA). 

Karen has always been interested in ancient cultures and their customs, dance, music, poetry, visual arts and other forms of creative expression. Her travels took her to Native American sites in many areas of the United States, the Mayan ruins in Central America, as well as Asia, Greece, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, the British Isles, the Caribbean, and Canada. She then completed her MFA degree in painting at Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford. In this program, she studied with artist Susan Wilmarth Rabineau, wife of the deceased minimalist sculptor, Christopher Wilmarth.

Through the study of European and Asian cultures, Karen became more intrigued by each segment of history, the calligraphic line, the different materials used throughout history and the effect of light. She simplified her images and began using unconventional materials such as cold wax, natural objects, scraps of cloth, impasto oil paint and washes. She continues to evolve her techniques, utilizing primitive marks, color, texture, innate light, and stained asymmetrical compositions to direct the viewer to a spiritual place.

Karen's studio is currently located in Clinton, Connecticut. Her work has been shown both nationally (in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida and California) and internationally (Ireland, Spain), and is part of many private and corporate collections. 

ARTIST STATEMENT

"Painting is my passion. It has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember... My process of painting is a similar experience to traveling, whereby one is constantly discovering something new in each place. This experience is similar to an archeologist making a unique discovery during a dig. It can be a joyful experience and at times, a more frustrating experience but it is never a dull experience. I am also intrigued by linear calligraphic mark making from all over the world and have used my own calligraphic mark making as a conceptual tool for communicating my ideas to the viewer.