Ocean Waves, oil on canvas

Impressionist Painter Karen Crocker: A Sense of Serenity

by Jen Villa

With a dramatic touch and an emotional palette, Karen Crocker’s oils are indeed something to be seen.

Upon first meeting Karen, I was in awe that she matched the intensity of her dramatic and moody oil paintings with her incredibly warm demeanor and striking beauty. She welcomed me into her home, her foyer acting as a magical gallery showing off her paintings with ease.

Swimming in a sea of gray and blue horizon lines, her collection showed a deepness and almost sadness, yet splashes of color added hope. Carrying herself with a strong energy and a quickness to smile, I knew this artist was special.

After reluctantly narrowing the group down, I selected a beautiful arrangement of oil paintings and was thrilled to represent them at my gallery.

Spending longer than we both intended, Karen and I quickly got engaged in passionate conversation regarding the art world, and the hopes and dreams we had for both ourselves and our community. We exchanged ideas and philosophies and left each other with an excited energy.

Our first meeting on that cold, December day would lead to a fabulous artist collaboration and relationship.

Born and raised on Cape Cod, Karen attended the University of Maine as a Fine Arts major. Her artist bio reads, “I enjoy capturing the vague terrain of a fog ridden beach, the clouds that linger in an ever changing sky or the vastness of a deserted field left to the wind. My style is somewhat impressionistic, where the earth is my main source of inspiration.”

“When I create each piece,” writes Karen, “I constantly challenge my eye to a fine line and obsolete. I believe in allowing my viewers to question exactly what they see in my work. This allows them the power to determine what they see and form their own emotional attachment.”

She adds, “In each piece that I paint I hope to accomplish a sense of serenity. Through soothing colors, varying brush strokes and simple subject matter I leave my viewer with a feeling of solitude without feeling alone while appreciating the beauty the earth has to offer.”

Each piece, although painted from an actual place, could be anywhere. Karen challenges the viewer to decide, enjoying the memories her paintings evoke.

And enjoy they do. Selling more of her smaller pieces, including amazing 5 x 7 blank cards that are a one-of-a-kind original painting in themselves, her work is a hit. Customers spend time getting lost in the horizon lines and soothing colors she eloquently speaks of.

They do, in fact, interpret the time and place to be one that they have visited, found serenity in, or dreamt to be.

Karen currently paints and works out of her newly acquired home in Centerville. She recently bought an old house with a sprawling yard and an incredible barn in the back just calling to be covered in paint and made into a quaint, character-riddled studio by the lake.

She has two children and is constantly balancing family, motherhood, work and the desire to make it all work as a full-time artist.

Her work will be at several shows throughout the summer including exhibits on July 8 at the West Yarmouth Library, July 31 at the Sandwich Library, and August 7 at the Harwich Historical Society. She will also be showcased at the Artisan's Guild on July 3 and 4 and at the Eastham Town Green in late August.

She’ll be sharing a shanty with that same gallery owner who was standing in awe in her foyer on that December day. Together we’ll be showing and working out of the shanties for a week starting August 21 and again for a week starting September 11.

Impressionist Painter Karen Crocker: A Sense of Serenity

by Jen Villa

Karen Crocker’s work will be displayed at several shows throughout the summer including the following exhibits:

Artist Shanties on the Hyannis Harbor: