ARTIST STATEMENT: Art is where I go to explore and to express; it's where I lose my self, but find my way. In a world that grows more complex by the moment, I yearn for simplicity and clarity - the way light falls upon a leaf or leans against an abstract symbol.

I strive to integrate my experiences and perceptions through color, texture, shapes and forms. Unusual linear perspectives often catch my eye and become the basis for a composition.

While I may approach a canvas or piece of paper with a pre-conceived concept, usually that idea is short-lived; the painting often takes on a life of its own after only a few strokes. At those times, I'm forced to face reality - I am not in control.

This process can be intensely freeing and joyous, and at the same time, unnerving. It requires a willingness to suspend judgement, especially about one's capabilities. Frustrating mistakes can turn out to be brilliant markings in the final composition. In this way, painting helps me to trust the process of life, and keeps me moving forward, regardless of circumstances.

BIO: Karen Leeds is a painter focusing on vivid abstract imagery to express complex emotions and feelings. Her current mediums include acrylic, oil pastel, and French dyes on silk. Her working studio is in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she also facilitates sessions on “Art, Courage & Creativity” for adults often starting to explore art for the first time. In her own words:

“I use painting to explore and express. It’s where I lose myself, but find my way. In a world that grows more complex by the minute, I yearn for simplicity and clarity -- the way light falls upon a decaying leaf or leans against an abstract symbol. I am deeply attracted to color, texture, shapes and forms, which become vehicles for integrating experience with perception.”

An emerging artist and primarily self-taught, Ms. Leeds won the 2003 “Undiscovered Artist” competition sponsored by the Scottsdale Gallery Association and Tribune which resulted in her first solo gallery show. Since that time she has been included in several juried exhibitions, and her studio was included on the prestigious 2006 Working Artist Studio Tour sponsored by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMOCA). She has been a regular exhibitor at the Arizona Fine Arts Expo.

Karen has patrons throughout the United States and Canada, and her work can be viewed by appointment in Scottsdale, or any time at Christopher Morgan Galleries in Palm Desert, CA. She is also showing March 6th through May 4th 2008 in a group exhibition at the Robert Frazier Gallery of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, as part of the annual citywide celebration of contemporary women in the arts.