Karen Neu Wideman
Painter
| SITE #2 |
558 Alma St., Port Perry | with Dianne Karg Baron |
As an artist, I explore the interplay of light and shadow, embracing the balance between the random and the refined. With a limited palette, I create vibrant and harmonious colours through loose gestures and bold brushstrokes. My art reflects my familial heritage and deep connection to my native land as a third-generation painter and first-generation Canadian.
Using mainly acrylic paint, I bring my expressive visions to life, infusing each stroke with intention and emotion. By painting on wood panels, I establish a stronger connection to the natural world, enhancing the tactile quality and rootedness in the landscapes I depict.
Through my art, I seek to inspire hope and evoke peace in a struggling world. In my artistic journey, I embrace exploration, vibrant hues, and heartfelt expression. The influences of my personal explorations across my homeland of Canada shape the narratives and themes that emerge in my art. When I step up to the canvas, I embrace a sense of playfulness and surrender, allowing myself to let go and invite the Holy Spirit to guide my creative process.
A third generation artist, Karen has been passionate about art since a young age. Her artistic abilities have been influenced by her grandfather, who painted stunning scenes of his homeland in Hungary using oils and watercolours. Mainly self-taught, Karen’s preferred medium is acrylics, and she focuses primarily on landscapes, drawn to the beauty of natural settings.
Her artistic style involves a contemporary approach, characterized by a limited and vibrant colour palette and a range of expressive brush strokes. Karen firmly believes in the continuous journey of learning and growth, and she actively seeks mentorship from notable artists to further develop her skills.
Beyond her personal artistic pursuits, Karen finds joy in inspiring young artists. For over 15 years, she has been instructing children and youth in the realm of art, running art classes and camps from her home studio in Port Perry, Ontario, Canada with the aim of igniting the creative spark in the next generation of artists.
Karen draws inspiration from various sources. The landscapes she encounters during her travels inspire her work, as do the masterpieces created by legendary artists like Tom Thomson, and the artists from the Group of Seven and more. However, her deepest wellspring of inspiration comes from her faith in God as the ultimate Creator.
