biography
Karen Offutt was born and raised in Dallas, Texas by a creative family who encouraged her to explore her artistic talent from an early age. Her father was an artist and her mother is a designer and owner of a needlepoint company. Throughout her formative years, Karen excelled in art classes and participated in several art exhibits. As a young adult she sought a more serious outlet for her talent. Not finding the ultimate education for the type of realism she sought, Karen found art related jobs to keep her motivated. Learning to paint with oils was her goal and found that opportunity Austin Fine Arts Classes where she learned a more classical approach.
From there, she attended workshops from nationally re-nowned artists and from there began to find her own path in her creative journey.
From her studio in Austin, Karen approaches her paintings with an atmospheric sensitivity combining shape, tone line, and color. The inspiration of her preferred subject matter comes ultimately from the figure. “I have always loved painting people whether in natural surroundings or in a more staged setting.” “As and artist, I am very aware of my environment which invites me to be a constant observer. I see potential in everything and my emotional reaction guides me to the specific inspiration. There are different aspects to my painting, for example technical skill, creative freedom and emotional truth. My goal is to create work that guides all these elements in a direction that moves me.”
SELECTED AWARDS & HONORS
2003 Salon International Greenhouse Gallery, Honorable Mention
2005 Salon International Greenhouse Gallery, Honorable Mention
2015 Awarded 2nd Place: Non-Commissioned Portrait from Portrait Society of America for“Listen”
2016 Awarded Finalist for Outside the Box from Portrait Society of America for “Seated Figure”
2016 Outstanding Composition and Technique Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters of America 25th National Juried Exhibition
2017 Awarded Finalist in the Portrait Society of America’s Members Only “Outside the Box” category with my painting “The Strength Within”
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2002-2006 Annual Two Person Show, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX
2004 Introductions, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX
2004 Wine, Women & Roses, Wendt Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2004 Holiday Invitational, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2005 Emerging Artists Show, Scottsdale, AZ
2005 Interiors & Exteriors, Group Show, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2006 Solo Show, Wendt Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2006 U.S. Artists Show, Philadelpia, PA
2006 Focus on the Figure, Group Show, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2007 Solo Show, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX
2008 American Art Invitational, Group Show, Saks Galleries, Denver, CO
2008 Group Show, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX
2014 Read my article in the Spring 2014 issue of Artist on Art online art magazine at – www.artist-on-art.com
2014 2 paintings included in the 5th annual Women Painting Women show at the Principle Galley in Charleston, South Carolina. Show opens September 5th.
2015 WEST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR
2015 Women Painting Women at the Georgetown Art Centerorganized by Austin artist Felice House.
2016 Contemporary Figuration at Abend Gallery in Denver, Colorado
2016 25th National Juried Exhibition in Dallas, TX at the Southwest Art Gallery.Oil Painters of America
2016 Painters Painting Painters show at the Davis Gallery in Austin, TX.
2017 Sight Unseen show at Abend Gallery in Denver, Colorado
2018 Refigured: Radical Realism group show in Austin, Texas at the Dougherty Art Center
WEST AUSTIN STUDIO