Hi! Thank you for visiting my little studio on the web, and for your interest in my work as a children’s book illustrator and watercolor artist.
About Me
"The opportunity to study and understand light, colour and composition, gave me the skills and the eye to create illustrations using the enchanting medium of watercolour..."
"MY WHIMSICAL, FAIRY TALE STYLE
LENDS ITSELF WELL TO CHILDREN'S BOOKS"
A bit about my work:
I’ve always loved to draw and paint, but my life as a freelance illustrator truly began when I lived in Munich in my 20’s. My friend, Julia and I spent countless hours making art together. She inspired me to start making my little illustrations, cards, and small paintings. Although I experimented with many different mediums at that time I always came back to watercolors.
When I returned to Canada I started a little card company called Bluebelle Design. Bluebelle gave me my first taste sharing my art with others online and at craft fairs. People responded positively to my whimsical style and I began a series of watercolors inspired by classic fairy tales – original paintings that were, to my delight, well received at local art shows.
A few years later my watercolor fairy tale illustrations caught the attention of children’s book author, Elizabeth Lorayne, who invited me to create a series of custom watercolor paintings for her first Adventures of Piratess Tilly book. It was such an honor when our book was selected as a finalist for the Foreword Review’s IndieFab Book of the Year and won the Moonbeam Spirit Award in 2015.
Creating illustrations for children’s books is a dream come true for me. I hope to continue collaborating with children’s book authors – the perfect way to combine my love for bringing magic and beauty into the world with inspiring young, curious minds to read.
A bit about me:
I was born and raised in the lush rainforest of Canada’s Pacific Northwest and now call Vancouver Island my home. For a decade I lived on Bowen Island, a small island community located off the coast of Vancouver, with my husband, Wil, and our beloved animals. While living on Bowen I was the coordinator of the Gallery at Artisan Square. My original fairy tale illustrations were featured in two sell-out shows at the Gallery in 2013 and 2015.
My dear friends call me an old soul. I have a deep love and respect for Mother Earth and all her creatures. I love tending my backyard garden and cooking fresh food I’ve grown myself. In addition to my work as a freelance artist and illustrator, I love making crafts, sculpting, sewing and needlework. I am always looking for ways to enhance my skill as an artist, and for a magical story that captures my imagination.
An avid explorer and adventurer, I’ve experienced breathtaking hours scuba diving in the coastal waters of BC, Mexico, and the tropical Philippines, capturing the quaint beauty of small towns in the UK with my camera and paints, exploring the art galleries and museums of Germany and France, and most recently, enjoying the memorable hospitality of the Philippine islands.
LEARN MORE
To learn more about Karen’s work or to order an art print, take a look at her online portfolio.
CONTACT ME
Email: karen@karenwatson.com
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