Silicon Valley Open Studios

About Karen Bemis

I’ve dabbled in creative arts for my whole life. In the last 15 years I’ve been painting animals in the studio and landscapes in plein air. I paint mostly in Oil and occasionally in Pastel. Painting animals has always been my primary love. Lately the focus on animal paintings has been renewed because of a beautiful trip to Alaska. I’ve been accepted into a few local shows. I have an AA degree in fine arts from West Valley College and have been able to study with several locally reputable artists. I’ve learned the formal rules of perspective, color theory and design etcetera. But I find, when I’m actually painting, these things must come naturally and not be planned at each step. The beauty of ink flowing onto paper or paint flowing onto canvas is mesmerizing; hours can go by in the blink of an eye. Sometimes there is a stroke by stroke struggle with the piece and I wonder how the painting can get this out of control. On other days every stroke brings a smile. Luckily the smile comes easier as I get more miles on by paint brush.