This week’s featured artist is Karen Clark!
Karen uses watercolours to compose exquisite scenes of local wildlife. Of her work, Karen says:
“Living near Garry Oak meadows on Salt Spring Island I find spring an exciting time of year as the many flowering plants emerge among the mosses and grasses in this unique habitat found only on the south coast of British Columbia. Stunning delicate butterflies appear and provide flashes of colour as they fly among the carpets of flowers. At home and when I travel I am fascinated by the diversity and unique characteristics of the native plants and animals and how they adapt to different habitats. Photographing and then painting these special plants, butterflies and other biota with watercolours has given me an even greater appreciation of their beauty. My botanical and biological illustrations are my way of celebrating the details of these exquisite plants and animals.”
“I create my botanical and biological illustrations mostly from photographs which I take in the Garry Oak Meadows near my home on Salt Spring Island and during my travels to other parts of BC. I am a biologist and feel it is important to accurately identify and paint my subjects. I use Winsor and Newton Artist quality watercolours, and fine sable brushes on Arches 140 lb hot press cotton acid free paper. I sometimes paint only a single plant to highlight the details of its beauty. For larger paintings I select several plants and other biota based on a theme such as the timing of their emergence or the microhabitats where they are most likely to be found. I draw a rough outline with a fine point graphite pencil to compose the painting. I then paint with watercolours.”
