Karen was born in Sheffield, England in 1960 but her family immigrated to South Africa when she was three years old. From being a child she spent all her free time engrossed in her two passions: Art and Writing.
She studied Graphic Design after leaving school, and went on to work in this capacity for a design studio, until in 1983 she met and married a French Racing Driver, who took her to live in France. While travelling the world alongside her husband, she became fluent in French, and was also a TV presenter for a year while on the racing circuits introducing the Grand Prix.
Living in France and being afforded the possibility to travel the world, enabled her to study the great art masters and meet current French artists, who influence her own creative passion and work to this day. After 14 years in France, the couple divorced and she returned to South Africa with her son, Greg. She then pursued her own enterprises; creating an animated interactive book on CD for youngsters and a monthly magazine publication. She has also recently completed a novel for adults, which she is presenting to Literary Agents in the hope of being published.
Loving anything creative, Karen has been involved in interior design projects, has created graphic design elements for clients such as innovative invitations, logos and corporate identities, website design, book covers, advertisements, press kits, brochures and promotional items.
Though tutored in Graphic Design and not Fine Art, instinct seemed to take over when she discovered the versatility of oil paint a few years ago. Now she paints mainly in this medium. Essentially, she loves to paint humanity; inspired by the fragile nature of people. Her artworks have been displayed on several exhibitions, her first being in 1985. She also gives Art Lessons and is in the process of creating online courses, as she loves to share her experience and knowledge with all wishing to learn.
Karen's unerring passion and devotion to art and all things creative is what drives her, certain as always, that a Writer and an Artist is who she is.
Karen Longden-Sarron joined Fine Art America on October 12th, 2011.
