Karen Chrisco was encouraged to go back to school and get a degree by a co-worker. She spoke to her husband about it and the two decided that Karen Chrisco would start the next semester in Fine Art. Karen always loved to draw and color as a child and she said it made her feel closer to God. What better reason to choose a course of study.

Karen Chrisco is a Freelance Illustrator/Graphic Designer. Karen received her BA in Fine Art with a minor in Marketing, Cum Laude, in December 2013 from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR. She has had several entries chosen at Light Space and Time Online Gallery, 2013- 2017, all being selected in the Special Recognition area. In October of 2015, a 3D piece made 5th place at Light Space and Time and during the same month she received a Certificate of Excellence 2D. In November of 2016, two of her pieces of artwork were selected to display in the 2nd Annual Art Teachers Exhibition, at the Argenta Branch Library, North Little Rock, AR. The Juror was Doug Bell. Also in November, Karen submitted and was selected to display 9 pieces of her artwork to Moore Art Supplies, ‘Small Works’ which was under consignment. In January of 2017, Karen’s body of artwork 9 pieces, were selected to go on display under consignment with no fee at, The Main Cheese Restaurant, in North Little Rock, AR. They are still on display at this time.

Karen has an exceptional eye for detail in her 2D Floral and Nature Scenes. She likes to zoom in very close to get the most out of the detail and then add her own touch. Karen has found a new interest in Bookart and she has become very good. She starts out with matching a book to a name or design. Then uses Photoshop by typing in the name on a pre-configured screen. The calculations must be spot on or it will mess the entire book up. She has a complete set of ‘The Armor of God.’ There are 8 large books, Britannica Book of the Year. One part of the Armor is so long, it took two books to finish it. The other books shown are of when Karen was starting out. Hope, Love, Peace, and Joy. The book ‘Joy’ was sold at The Moores Art Supply Consignment show. Karen has many that she given away as family/friend gifts, but also she has sold them for about $100 each. Another form of artwork she has become proficient in is using foam core as the medium and cutting out words and images. Once the image is done, she shines a light through the backside of the foam core and the light illuminates the words and images she has cut. One of her foam core pieces made it in the Light Space and Time competition 10/2015.

Karen has recently volunteered to paint a mural down the hallway of a new children’s Sunday school room area at her church where her husband preaches part-time. The name of the mural is ‘The Creation’. She has decided to start with the creation and lead into the exiting through the Red Sea then to end with all the children’s Bible stories on the other side of the hallway. She has also volunteered to tutor two children from her church, in art; once a month they get together and go over what they have practiced on and Karen this evaluates their work to decide if more practice is needed or if they can be introduced to a new area.

While Karen enjoys taking pictures of nature while adding special effects using her cell phone. Interestingly, Karen’s favorite media is gel pens, however, she has used many other types of media, and in several mediums like printmaking, contemporary art in 3D, foam core, whatever it takes to achieve the effect she desires. Karen thrives on the details of her work. Karen wants to be able to draw people in close to her work and discover something new each time, to get lost in the work. Karen says that God feels the same way about us…get lost in His work and you will be able to discover something new each time.

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