Karen Sloan - Wall Flower Studio
http://ca.msnusers.com/PaintedCanvasCommunity

http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/KarenSloanWallFlowerStudio
 
Artist Statement
 
 *Karen Sloan was born in Toronto, but now resides in the Haliburton area of Ontario, just south of Algonquin Park. Having been a professional floral designer and horticulturalist for 15 years, this has heavily influenced her painting style by gaining her much insight concerning both flowers and interiors.  Her paintings feature strong colours, pure themes, and expressive form. While painting in the studio, one of Karen’s goals is to be creative in a way that is expressive, communicative of ideas and feelings, development of an aesthetic sensibility, while at the same time enjoyable and without limitations.
 
*Karen’s whimsical, yet reality based, surrealistic paintings create a perceived representation of her subjects, based on both her intellectual and emotional response to them. Flowers, Interiors and Jazz themes are her main attraction, but music and colours are her muses. Combine this with a vision that tends to push the boundaries and diversity of these themes, and the common is transported into the theatrical by exposing the viewer to a close up and personal, almost voyeuristic point of view.
 
 *Karen has taken several painting and related courses.  She has studied at the Claude Watson School for the Arts in Toronto where she majored in visual art, as well as attending faux finishing courses and life drawing courses at the Toronto School of Art. Karen feels completely at home behind the lens as she photographs subjects for painting. 
 *Karen is an active member of the Haliburton Studio Tour, the Toronto Botanical Garden, a past member of the Toronto Arts and Letters Club, the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, and a board member for the Haliburton Arts Council.
Karen has begun teaching courses for both adults and children in Haliburton County and she has taught floral design at community centres in Toronto.  
 * Certain artists have left their mark with Karen and a few such notables are Georgia O’Keeffe, Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Norval Morriseau, Helen Lucas and the Group of Seven.

Collections:

Pop singer Prince owns one of Karen's works, as well as the Steam Whistle Roundhouse Brewery. Her works are included in private collections all across Canada and the USA and internationally her work’s are found in Scotland, England, Germany, Australia, Holland, Japan, Mexico, and South Africa.A