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karen spears Office: Campbell 426 |
Biography 
Karen Spears has lived in Kentucky for over 20 years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she has a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Louisville and an M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. She has taught in the Department of Art and Design at Eastern Kentucky University for 20 years, focusing on the areas of foundations, painting and drawing. Karen has been the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships and has traveled, taught and exhibited both regionally and in Europe. She is represented in numerous private and public collections.
Artist Statement
I am an artist and teacher of two-dimensional art. My training is primarily in painting and drawing, and these are the areas in which I primarily teach. Having considerable background in figurative work, I often find myself teaching figure drawing and painting. I am a big believer in visual art's power to connect us in close, uniquely human ways; so, I am drawn particularly to art which conveys a personal vision, whether it be abstract or representational. Great art helps to affirm our humanity, vulnerability, and resilience. As a teacher of young artists, I try to encourage the unique person and artist in each individual. While much of our concerns in undergraduate settings are often the mechanics of making art, I encourage students to pull ideas from their own lives--cultural background and experiences. Whether it be a personal mark, a unique color sense, a response to shape, structure, or imagery which reflects a person's heritage, I am deeply interested in who these people are as individuals, and I find it most powerful when that is expressed in their work.
My own creative art work is mostly autobiographical. The imagery comes from real-life situations and experiences, but may be combined with forms that are less controlled, less conscious. My work often has a narrative quality to it. There is, sometimes, an element of mystery--a tension between what is known and what is felt. In my recent work I have been dealing more with the domestic arena--both interiors and "exteriors"--and the seemingly magical occurrences that come out of everyday observations and experiences.
Samples of Work
