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Karen Scharer
Karen Scharer’s work reflects decades of art study with a wide range of artists, informed by diverse experiences from travel, a degree in natural resource management, and a 17-year career in technology. During her more than 35-year successful painting practice, Scharer’s work has transitioned from realism to abstraction, and from watercolor to acrylic to oil, a medium which has now completely captured her focus and passion. Scharer’s large, colorful abstract paintings have been featured in dozens of solo and group shows across the U.S. Her work has been honored with many awards, accepted into numerous juried exhibitions, and is included in hundreds of public, private, and corporate collections. Notable collections include the Ponzio Visual Arts Center, Colorado Academy, Denver, CO; Ritz-Carlton Resorts, Beaver Creek, CO; BMW Corporation, Plano, TX; Dominion Oil, Oklahoma City, OK, and many others. Karen Scharer is based in Pueblo West, Colorado where her home and studio sit beneath dramatic skies just minutes from the beautiful Arkansas River, and a short drive from some of Colorado’s most spectacular mountain peaks. The stunning and varied Colorado landscape is a constant source of inspiration for her intuitive painting approach.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Statement for “Complementary Colors”
Although my work is motivated by the desire to create something of beauty that authentically captures and communicates my response to the world around me, on its most basic level, it’s driven by the love of paint and color.
My work is non-representational, relying on the elements of design – rather than a recognizable subject – to communicate and connect with the viewer.
The elements of shape, line, contrast, texture, balance and movement all contribute to the overall success of my paintings. But color is arguably the most important design element in my work. Color choices evoke emotions and set the mood of a painting, allowing a visceral connection with the viewer.
Beyond using color to set the overall tone of a painting, the use of complementary colors - colors which sit opposite each other on the color wheel (blue and orange, purple and yellow, red and green) – expands the opportunities to create impact in my work. Placing these colors together increases their intensity, creates dynamic visual contrast, and adds vibrancy and energy to my paintings.
Working non-objectively and intuitively allows me the freedom to paint for the sheer enjoyment of playing with color, and complementary colors appear in many of my most successful paintings.