Artist’s Brief Bio
Karen Presser, former art teacher and art therapist, lives and works on her art in Pawling, NY. Currently, Ms. Presser is planning a workshop in art journaling and meditation. Ms. Presser’s career spans 40 plus years, although during some of those years her focus was on teaching art to children and adults with disabilities. Among other interests, Ms. Presser is interested in interpreting the world of fantasies, myths, and dreams and, her inspiration comes from the world of storytelling for children. The fascination with creating spaces not ruled by time continues to be compelling subject matter. Perhaps, her interest arises from her work with children.
In the past year, ideas for abstractions have been coming to mind, and the exploration of color and texture present in ordinary objects such as stones, eggs, and even flowers.
Among the painters she studied with are John Torreano and Judy Pfaff at SUNY Purchase in the 1970’s. In group shows in Westchester, New York, she showed her oil paintings and mixed media drawings during the seventies and eighties.
Ms. Presser’s work can be found in collections in Maine, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, North Carolina, and California... Ms. Presser has shown her work locally, as well on the internet, where she was asked to contribute her art quilts to charity fundraising. In 2008, she had a one woman show of art quilts at Trinity-Pawling School, and in October 2010, was part of a local art group show at the John Kane House, in Pawling, here she first showed her photo collages. In April, 2011, she showed as a member of the ArtWorks Art Salon group show at the Front Street Gallery in Patterson, New York, and in May 2012 as part of a juried show. She was part of a juried show May 2013, and May 2014 at the Front Street Gallery.
She is a member of Hudson Valley Arts and regularly exhibits in local governmental offices and restaurants. Hudson Valley Arts raises money through its members for a deserving high school student majoring in art. Her work is currently on display in the Dover Plains Library.
Earlier in 2014, an abstract oil from the late seventies was acquired by the Weissman Museum of the University of Minnesota.
Ms. Presser has been a member of ArtEast since 2013 and will be showing her work in the 2015 ArtEast Open Studio Tour. For the second year, she is selected to be part of the annual Akin Museum and Library Art Show, Remembering the Past, September 2015.
Currently, Ms. Presser is showing five pieces in a group show at the Gallery at Eastern Hay, a new gallery in Pawling, NY.
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