Artist Bio

Karen Villarreal studied fine art painting at San Diego State University and the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. She did commissioned portrait work before devoting herself to a career in cartoon animation, training at Walt Disney and working on shows for Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, and Scholastic Books to name a few. Now retired, she has returned to her first love … painting.

Artist Statement

I love painting. Composition, color, form, and lighting are foremost in my mind when I contemplate starting a picture. I’ve been trained in a variety of painting media so I have many choices when it comes to imagining a picture, whether it’s a landscape, still life, or portrait. Each medium can deliver different effects, and I love to explore how best to achieve what I envision while pushing the boundaries of that medium. Sometimes, as the painting progresses, the medium itself suggests different ways to go. This is especially true with watercolors. The artist in me can either let the medium dictate how the painting will resolve itself or I can bend the medium to fit my needs. In the case of watercolor and pastels, I often combine the two. Each painting is an adventure!

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Please call the Putnam Arts Council at 845-803-8622 to purchase a piece of art.

Exposed by Karen Villarreal, watercolor on paper with cold wax finish 9 x12 $325Orchid Cactus Twins II by Karen Villarreal, oil on linen 16 x16 NFSRipe and Not by Karen Villarreal, oil on linen 14 x11 $600Tres Juicy by Karen Villarreal, pastel on sanded board 11 x14 $550Two Halves One Heart by Karen Villarreal, pastel on board 18 x26 $1215