Karen Butler Fine Art Gallery

Curriculum Vitae

Born in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Studied Bachelor of Arts at the University of New South Wales. Awarded the Bachelor of Arts Degree (English,French) in 1983.

Karen worked in retail fashion and furniture sales for around ten years. During this time, she always kept her interest in art alive, doing courses in calligraphy, folk art and drawing.

Entered the NSW Public Service in 1990 as an administration clerk. Attended evening and weekend art classes at the Royal Art Society of NSW Lavender Bay in 1996 through to 2000. During this time, studied landscape painting in oils under the tutelage of the the art school director, Ron Stannard FRAS. Also studied Drawing, Still Life, Portraiture, Life drawing and Life painting. Submitted art works in regular student exhibitions.

Moved to Hornsby NSW in 2002 and joined the Hornsby Art Society. Regularly attended demonstrations and workshops. Completed several terms in Botanical Illustration at Ku-ring-gai Art Centre in 2004.

Karen resigned from the public sector in 2007 and she and her husband embarked on a sea change, moving to the beautiful South Coast of Wollongong, NSW. Joined the Kiama Art Society and attended numerous workshops and demonstrations. Joined the Kiama Arts Society Committee from 2008-9 and joined the Friends of Wollongong City Gallery in 2008.

In 2008 attended courses at WEA Wollongong in drawing and watercolours with Faith Cunningham and abstract painting with Keith Rutherford. Karen decided to enrol in TAFE Illawarra, West Wollongong campus to study Fine Arts. In second semester 2008, studied "Skills and Practices in Fine Arts" in Painting at night.

The following year,in second term of 2009, studied the Visual Arts Certificate 11 in Drawing and Painting. This consolidated her knowledge of basic art principles and techniques learnt at the Royal Art Society. She is currently studying the Diploma of Fine Arts part-time at West Wollongong TAFE, commenced in 2010. Her preferred media are oil, acrylic and mixed media. She is pursuing her interest in abstract techniques whilst retaining a love of traditional art.