Karen Parker of GhostWoman Studios - Biography - History of Master Artist Oil Painter

Karen Parker
Karen Denise Parker

Karen Parker was born and raised in the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Her family consisted of farmers; people who worked with and lived on the land; people who understood the seasons and cycles of birth and death. Under this influence and with an inborn curiosity about the process of things, she grew up intrigued with the workings of the natural world.

At an early age she began to draw: people, animals, everyday scenes. At school, science and biology fascinated her. She wanted to know HOW THINGS WORKED. This drove her mother to distraction as she would come home to find the lawnmower, the clock or some other household item dismantled.

When it came to a career choice there was never any competition. As an artist, she could explore the why and wherefore, the minutia of the natural world and record them with heartbreaking precision. She received her BFA from UNC- Greensboro and her MFA from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Her art is found in collections, literally, around the world; the most recent sales going to Hong Kong. Her work has won numerous awards and in 1998 the North Carolina Arts Council granted her full funding for her installation work.

She is talented, charming, funny and speaks with a refreshing honesty about life. Look at her paintings, her art, and then just imagine the beauty of how her mind works.

Alpha Yin
Curator New Frontier Gallery

Island Ford Road
Statesville, NC 28625

Marc Pachter, director of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington and author of The Making of an American Icon: George Washington and Gilbert Stuart, said “(Karen’s work) …deserves recognition.”

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Tom Patterson, author of Contemporary Folk Art: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Stranger from Another World reviews her portraiture, calling them “ … stunning pieces.”

study of a Tulip Bulb

Tom Patterson also says Karen’s paintings are “…outstanding images, meticulously rendered.” He calls them “…gems amid the (visual) jumble.”

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Writer Mai Li Munoz says, “Her nearly microscopic representations detail the delicacy of nature’s inhabitants.”

Education
--Ohio University, Athens, OH
M.F.A. Graduate Studies, Studio Painting.1995
--University of NC Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
B.F.A., Major: Studio Arts- Painting & Printmaking, 1989

Selected Exhibitions:

One Person:

2005 One Person Show, Depot Gallery, Mooresville, NC

2004 One Person Show, Barr Gallery, Abingdon, VA

2004 All The Pretty, Waterworks Visual Art Center, Salisbury, NC

2003 Misc. Lrg., Elysium Studios,Winston-Salem, NC

1999 One Person Show, Glenville State College, Glenville, WV

1997 One Person Show, Rye Art Gallery, Rye, England UK

1997 One Person Show, Elkland Art Center, Todd, NC

1996 New Paintings, Heike Pickette Gallery, Lexington KY

Juried Competitive Shows:

2007 Realism, Richeson Gallery, Kimberly WI. Juried international competition

2007 Southeastern Juried Competition, Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile AL. Juried national competition

2005 Through Womens Eyes, By Womens Hands,Chapel Hill, NC

2005 Face Value, Milton Rhodes Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC. Juried national portrait competition.

2005 Uplands: Landscape Interpretations, Waterworks Visual Art Center, Salisbury NC, Juried regional competition

2005 Waterworks Regional Exhibition, Waterworks Visual Art Center, Salisbury NC, Juried regional competition

2005 Dimensions, Milton Rhodes Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC. Honorable Mention, Juried national competition

2004 Artoberfest, Depot Gallery, Mooresville, NC, Juried regional exhibition. Grand Prize

2003 2nd Int. Ashes to Art Exhibition, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA. Juried international exhibition

2002 Sacred Art from the Heart, Lloyd Art Center, Fort Collins, CO. Juried international exhibition

2002 MonDak Heritage Center 26th Annual, MonDak Heritage Center, Sidney, MT. Juried international exhibition. Awarded Honorable Mention.

2002 Annual Int. Miniature Competition Seaside Gallery, Nags Head, NC. Juried international exhibition

2002 Spare Parts, Full Circle Gallery, Hickory, NC. Juried national exhibition. First Place.

2001 Regional Exhibition, Waterworks Gallery, Salisbury, NC. Juried regional exhibition.

1999 From these Hills, William King Regional Arts Center, Abingdon, VA. Juried regional exhibition

1996 Images and Objects of Summer, Tempe Arts Center, Tempe, AZ, Juried national exhibition

1994 Realism, Parkersburg Art Center, Parkersburg WV, Juried national exhibition

1992 11th Annual Henley SE Spectrum, Milton Rhodes Gallery, Winston -Salem, NC, Juried regional exhibition

Group:

2005 Art As Food, King-Shivell Gallery, Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC

2003 Scout, Group Show exploring Boy Scout Merit Badge Projects. Glenville State College, Glenville, WV

2003 Spring Show, Louise Gilbert Gallery, Mitchell College, Statesville, NC

2003 New River Works, Group Show of works from EAC New River Parade at Lees-McRae, Banner Elk, NC

2002 Waterworks Invitational, Waterworks Gallery, Salisbury, NC

2002 10th Annual Int.Miniature Competition Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA. Juried international

2002 Parker/McGervey, Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC

2001 Come Closer, Salem College Art Gallery. Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC

2001 Sense of Place 01, Associated Artist Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC

1999 Third Annual Sacred Arts Festival, Bloomfield Artworks, Pittsburgh, PA

1998 Fantasy Architecture/Fantastical Spaces, Iredell County Arts Council, Statesville, NC

1997 Fur, Paws & Claws, Gallery 9, Foscoe, NC. Portion of profits to benefit Watauga Humane Society

1996 Parker/ McGervey, Claypool-Young Gallery, Morehead, KY

1996 Visions of Venus, Contrappasto Gallery, Cleveland, OH

1994 Prague Art Exchange and Exhibition, Prague, Czech-Republic

1992 E.I.O. Seasonal Invitational, E.I.O. Gallery, Cleveland, OH

Site Specific Installation

2001 "The Spice of Life, A Community Cultural Feast", Waterworks Visual Art Center, Salisbury, NC. Collaborative work with the students of North Rowan High School exploring ideas of personal and cultural heritage. Funded by a grant from the NC Arts Council through Waterworks Visual Art Center.

2001 "Paintings from the End of the Earth", Waterworks Gallery, Salisbury, NC. Altering a gallery space and installing objects and paintings to explore ideas of space, time, location and the minutia of life as set in terms of the sacred.

99-00 "Exploring Liminal Spaces": Collaborative work with the students of Salem College Art Department. Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC.

1999 "Enfolded Order/Unfolded Reality", Old County Jail, Statesville, NC. Funded, in part, by a grant from the Arts and Science Council of NC. Installation of artwork in a former county jail that has been converted into a gallery space. Using original function and architectural details as a springboard to create objects/paintings for the space. The core idea being that of contained potential and the probable, but unknowable, actuality.

1997 "With Hidden Noise", Garden of Gaia, Cranbrook, England.
Installation of human sized "bower" constructed of sticks and branches and "decorated" with bits of stained glass, copper wire and two 3 x 5 inch paintings on metal plates hung with-in the structure.

1995 "Liminal Spaces", Abandoned House, Kostival Farm, Albany, OH. Installed paintings of various sizes relating to architecture and surface textures found in the abandoned house. Also set up "tableaus" throughout the house of objects found in the house.

1994 "Hambone on Vacation", Barrier Islands of NC.
Utilized a Thanksgiving Hambone to facilitate a series of tableaus installed on journey to the Outer Banks of NC.

Published writing, selected lectures and other items of note

--"The Last Summer Tomato" Published in Voices Anthology Asheboro, NC. 2003

--"Iris Haiku" Published in Voices Anthology Powell, OH. 2002

--Guest Lecturer at The Unbroken Circle: MENSA Women's quarterly meeting: "Shamanism's function in society from prehistory into the current era."

--Portfolio Review: by artist Philip Koch. 2002

"Poppies" Published in Harmonies: Women reflect on Nature's Rhythms Lafayette, IN. 2002

"Ode to the Vernal Equinox" Published in Harmonies: Women reflect on Nature's Rhythms Lafayette, IN. 2002

--Guest Lecturer at Lees-McRae College: Spirituality and Art Course: "Magic and Ritual: Alchemy and the Artistic process." 2001

--Art Director: Morality and Gadgets a short independent film by Terry O'Brien and Walt McGervey, Talking Dog Productions. Based on a performance piece by Steve Gall. 2001-2002

--Portfolio Review: by artist Philip Pearlstein. 2001

--"Signs and Wonders (found)" Published in Her Mark 2002 Calendar, Chicago, IL Juried international competition 2001

--Costume design and performance for Elkland Art Center's Pageant in Todd NC and 4th of July Parade in Blowing Rock, NC. June 2nd and July 7th respectively in 2001

--Producing illustrations for a book on aboriginal healing techniques: Shamanic Healing through Extraction for Dr. Martin Nettleship, Ph.D. ongoing

--Guest Lecturer at Lees-McRae College: Art Appreciation Class: "Ways to Understand Art" and Women's Literature Class: "Feminist Themes and Content in Art". 2001

--Portfolio Review: by artist William Bailey 2000

--"Some thoughts on domestication…." Published in Campbell University's Lyricist, Buies Creek, NC. Juried national competition. 2000

--"Why should the laws of chaos…." Published in Campbell University's Lyricist, Buies Creek, NC. Juried national competition. 1999

--Guest Lecturer at Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC. 1999

--Guest Lecturer at University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY: "Does Making Art Matter?". 1996

Island Ford Road
Statesville, NC 28625

GhostWoman Studios: Home of classic fine art oil painting. Master artist Karen Parker is a classical academic artist and portrait painter. These collectible, museum quality paintings are available through commission for corporate – private – national and international clients. These paintings and portraits are perfect for Wedding or Bridal Gifts or other Unique Gift Ideas: Anniversary Gift, Birthday Gift and Personalized Luxury Gift and are sure to become heirlooms to be passed to future generations who will consider it a beautiful inheritance. And best of all: her oil prices are reasonable when compared to other artists.

An internationally famous studio with priceless images of beautiful flowers – floral paintings – still life - landscape painting including: mountains – streams – green woods -fields – nature – country scenes - natural beauty – ocean – water - sky – clouds - wildlife animals and figurative works. Capturing the uplifting spiritual quality and inspiration of life, including miniatures.

Karen has received many honors, including awards and trophies for her work. People prize her creations for their realistic style, technique and skill which echoes back to the superior renaissance style of drawing technique with an eye for color, value and light.

She works with modern methods in her art studio. Painting on canvas, sometimes with the aid of a drawing or cartoon. Her work can be found online, in an art gallery or a home near you.

These paintings are perfect for Home Décor or for someone newly furnishing and decorating their interior space. The designer in everyone can appreciate these attractive painted designs.

Her portraits include: Formal man or casual men and the same of a woman or women. On this site you can find her work with a: teen model, pre-teen, child, baby, girl, boy, young boy. She also does pet portraits: dog, puppy, cat, kitten, tattoo.

She also works with the occasional live model creating fine art nudes. Sometimes she paints a male or female model nude. These are not the same as images of a naked man or woman. The nude is an icon of fine art making. Her favorite various artists, include: Salvador Dali, Da Vinci, Monet, Gustav Klimt, Whistler, Michelangelo, Raphael, Van Gogh, Wyeth and others.