About | karen-pierre

KAREN PIERRE

My art began seriously in 1981 after a car accident and a “near death” experience.
I had done very little drawing and painting before that
[as a child, my artistic experience consisted of drawing cartoons].
During the months of recovery, I began drawing landscapes using ink and pencil.
And at the same time, as a result of the experience,
I began to search for a deeper meaning for my existence ...
what was life really all about ... why was there so much sadness on this earth.
Books seemed to fall off shelves into my lap: people appeared
with information and ideas that I had known only at the edge of my thoughts.
Little by little new beliefs began to form and I became interested in
many new ways to see our existence in this world.

In the mid 1980's, using ink and pencil, I began to draw my beliefs ...
wonderful new/ancient wisdom that I could feel was my truth too.
I chose, without actually planning to do this at first, American Indian teachings
and legends to illustrate. Unfolding the similarities of the creation and prophecy stories
between Native American and other cultures has become very exciting.
I am finding that so many of us are longing to live more peaceful lives
and to somehow help our communities and world to become more peaceful too.

For several years, I framed and displayed my art in an old restored mill
in a little New Jersey town. I learned to hand cut mats using geometric designs,
making them three dimensional and including beads and other artifacts.
It became the “trade mark” for my collectors.
By the late 1980's I was showing my work at art fairs along the east coast.
Then I discovered Gatlinburg, Tennessee and soon moved to the mountains.
For the next 19 years I maintained retail galleries in Tennessee and North Carolina,
as well as having my art shown in several other galleries.
I have learned so much in the many years of talking with
visitors from every state and even Europe and Asia.
We shared our dreams and hopes.

As we entered this century, my art took a new direction as I began working with
pastels and acrylics and explored the use of brighter colors and texture,
often painting horses, birds, trees with impressionistic Native American themes.
I am self taught and have been painting professionally for more than 30 years.
I now paint in my home studio and live in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina.

I believe the relationship between our environmental problems and human
hostilities can be understood more deeply from the messages found
in ancient wisdom and from the themes found in nature ...
and through this understanding
we will find ways to become more personally responsible
for making changes necessary to live peacefully on this earth.

This is the basis of my art ... to help make this connection.