Karen Bishop moved from Cheltenham, England to Kingston, Ontario, in the winter of 1992. When she first arrived in Canada she was unable to work while she waited for her papers, and so made use of the time by enrolling in art classes. In 1996 Karen moved to Edmonton and in 2002 graduated from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Extension with a Fine Arts certificate. Since 2007 she has been pursuing her art full time.

Between May of 2011 and January of 2016 Karen co-owned and operated The Daffodil Gallery in the heart of Edmonton’s Gallery district. Karen live painted for Rachel Notley, former Premier of Alberta, between 2015 to 2019 and has had her works selected as gifts for visiting dignitaries. In 2017, she also worked on an amazing project celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday.

Karen paints with watercolour on yupo paper. Yupo is a sustainable, synthetic paper that allows pigments to move in a loose fluid style. This allows her to paint by feel. The paintings that evoke the most emotion are those completed on location, where she is able to allow her surroundings and the weather to dictate how she proceeds. Living so close to the Canadian Rocky Mountains provides her with endless inspiration and subject matter. For Karen, painting allows that perfect quiet, where she is at peace with herself and her surroundings. It's an escape from the everyday, a chance to experience the earth more fully, a chance to breathe and know that all is well.

Instagram: @karenbartist