Karen Hansen

My paintings are lyrical, atmospheric abstractions that explore those moments when we release our tensions and ease into that clear, quiet space of meditation. They are meant as resting places, serene escapes from our hectic, fragmented, complex world, glimpses of the rhythms and quiet mysteries of our fractured lives and entry points to peace and our search for deeper connection. These paintings, with their subtle complexity, are layered translucently in search of radiance, nuance and depth. They evolve through a process of improvisation, experimentation, revision and intuition.

With a life-long passion for art, Karen Hansen spent 22 years in the field of animation. The film making took her to studios all over the world in a fascinating and challenging industry but painting full time was always her dream. She has done just that since 2001.

Hansen's paintings have been exhibited worldwide in both group and solo shows. Her work can be found in public, corporate and private collections across the United States as well as Europe. She has received numerous awards and commissions. In a Minneapolis “Art for Architecture” competition she submitted a drawing for a manhole cover design reflecting life in the city. Her award winning image was cast in brass and is installed in the sidewalk outside the Minneapolis City Center. In 2006 she was published in the book, Best of California Artists and Artisans and was awarded second place in the Acrylic Painting category. Every year since 2011 each of her entries has been awarded in the American Art Awards International Competitions. Her latest entries placed second and sixth in the Minimalism category in a competition that drew artists from 51 countries. In 2012 she was invited to be included in the book, Best Of Presents America Acrylic Artists Volume I, as well as Sue St. John’s ebook, A Walk Into Abstracts... How Did They Do That? In 2013 she spent three weeks as an Artist in Residence at the Mark Rothko Centre in Daugavpils, Latvia (Rothko’s birthplace). Her work is now in the museum’s permanent collection.

Hansen is a native of Chicago. In 1985, after many brutal winters in the Midwest, she came to the Los Angeles area and fell in love with sun-drenched Southern California. She now lives in Burbank with her husband and her cat.

She is a member of the Los Angeles Art Association (LAAA) / Gallery 825, Women Painters West and a signature member of International Society of Acrylic Painters (ISAP).