About Karen
Karen’s philosophy, as demonstrated in her art, is that “anything in life worth doing requires the heart, might, mind and soul”. Following the tradition of the Old Masters, each painting requires hundreds of hours of planning, charcoaling, underpainting, applying color glazes and flesh, then adding finishing touches until each evolves into a masterful work of art.
After attending classes which taught more present day methods and techniques, Karen
always felt that there was something lacking; a real knowledge and skill in painting the human form, depth of color and that rich luminosity found in the Old Masters. She found the art methods that truly touched her heart and soul with the internationally known and revered master artist and teacher, Frank Covino. This is where she found her passion for the portrait art of masters such as Vermeer, Rubens, Di Vinci, Michelangelo, and many others; it was like coming home!
Karen’s training under Frank Covino lasted for eleven years, until his death in 2016. During most of those years she was his Arizona Coordinator, where she organized his workshops. Frank was a graduate of the famed Pratt Institute in New York. In his early years Frank was hired to teach the portrait course in the famous Artists School in Westport, Connecticut. Three years later he started his own art academy and dedicated the rest of his life to learning and teaching the methods and techniques of the Old Masters, which had been virtually lost for many decades.
Karen’s own journey has progressed from discovering that she had a talent for drawing at the age of thirteen to establishing her own mural business, teaching youth, ages six to eighteen, art classes for over a decade, to being chosen to paint Temple Murals for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. After five years of training with Frank, he told Karen that she should begin teaching these methods, which she continues to do today, under the title Art of The Masters, as a tribute to Frank and to help continue his legacy.
To purchase one of Karen’s new ArtTangle books, ”Images of Faith”, go to arttangle.com