Bio *
Karen
Hewitt Hagan, Charleston Artist
Photo by John C. Doyle
"She
has an innate sense of color and composition and when it is coupled with
the way
she handles the media, magic occurs."
--- Quote from Theresa Golas, Director of The Iredell Museums (Statesville,
NC) published in American Art Collector Magazine, August 2006
One Woman
Museum Shows
2006: Iredell Museums,
Statesville, NC
2009: Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC
From The Artist
"The Southern Landscape - I see it as a quickly changing canvas.
Most precious and yet the most exploited. I'm most inspired by the pristine coastal
landscapes that lace between our barrier islands and the sea. It's where I feel
most at home with my easel. And I'm very intrigued by the change that is happening around this area so quickly.
Some of my favorite subjects are the unspoiled areas on the rustic edges of rural life.
I view our coastal landscape in the South with mixed feelings as development embraces and eschews conservation and natural resource preservation,
all the while still developing.
My vision of the South through my painter's eye is a double image, one of richness in heritage of unspoiled lands, long marsh views,
freshly turned fields, pristine beaches and wilderness abounding, paired with the access to this richness
through newly developed marinas, home sites and neighborhoods that fringe these
areas.
My work encompasses both the old and the new. I love nothing more than painting the quite marsh-lands
or a field in new bloom, but I'm also inspired by the "progress" that
surrounds these areas - the marinas and the majestic homes perched on high grounds. They intersect yet dissect. Coincide yet conflict.
Many of my favorite paintings were painted on site, as I "trespassed"
undetected on someone else's land but many more are from perches
inside the areas newly developed; areas I would not have seen or have been
granted access to if the builders had not been there before me.
"It's my passion to paint these areas...preserving yesterday's and tomorrow's view
- one canvas at a time."
About
Hagan’s paintings
offer a compelling combination of dramatic light and rugged beauty. Favorite
subjects include pristine coastal landscapes, boats drenched in
sunlight, soulful dancers and romantic nudes.
Hagan has studied
traditional methods of painting and drawing with many notable contemporary master
artists as well as studied the works of inspirational historical painters including John Singer
Sargent, Emile Gruppe, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, and Edgar Alwin Payne.
Her painterly style has
developed over the last fifteen years, steeped in tradition but unique and completely her own. "Capturing
the feeling or mood of a place is my highest goal. It's my
chance to combine the essence of drawing, composition and color application skills to share the strong emotion that lead me to paint the
subject," says Karen.
Karen has
continued her training, drawing the figure in charcoal in the classical traditional method from life
size plaster casts and drawing and painting nude figures and costumed dancers from live models.
Also from backstage photo sessions during live performances as well as painting
out of doors, in plein air . “Nature is truly the best teacher.”
Hagan’s paintings hang in
numerous private, corporate and yacht collections in the US and abroad including
The Sanctuary Resort at Kiawah Island, SC. Her accomplishments include having her work
exhibited in many invitational exhibitions and
juried shows including the Carmel Plein Air Painting Competition in Carmel
California and she was presented with the Award of Excellence at the COPA Plein Air Painting Annual in Charleston, SC.
Her work was featured in a one woman exhibition in 2006 at the Iredell Museums,
Statesville, NC and
at with the Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC in 2009.
Hagan
was a founding member of both the Charleston Outdoor Painters Association (COPA)
and The Plein Air
Painters of The Southeast (PAP-SE). She
teaches plein air painting in Italy, The Abacos, France and in the US.
Education
Bachelor of Arts: College of Journalism, The University of South Carolina,
Columbia, SC, 1983
Gibbes Museum Studio School, Charleston, SC
Scottsdale Artist School / Offsite Vermont Class
Armory Arts Center; W. Palm Beach, FL
Independent Workshops across the US
Formal Workshops, Individual Instruction or Critique
Kim
English, Dennis Aufiery, Gay Falulkenbery,
John Budicin, George Strickland,
John Carroll Doyle, Lynn
Gertenbach, Kenn Backhaus, Charles
Sovek, Lese Corigan, Martin Ahrens.
Professional
Affiliations
Signature Member of Plein Air
Painters of The Southeast
Associate Member Oil Painters of America
A Founding Member Charleston Outdoor Painters Association, COPA
Past member of The American Impressionist Society
Past Member of The Abaco Artist Guild
Selected
Press
Post
and Courier - December 26, 2010 Feature
Caterpillar
Art Blog - October 2009
Post and Courier Newspaper - July 2008 Feature for Artistic
Reflections Show
Coastal Living Magazine, October 2007- Art on The Docks
Lowcountry Living Magazine, July/August 2007- Feature Article
American Art Collector Magazine - August 2006 - Feature
Article on Museum Show
American Art Collector Magazine - July 2006 - Collectable
Marine Artists
Plein Air Magazine,
Studio Visit Feature - September 2006
Galleries & Artists of
The South
– 7/2005
Post and Courier Newspaper - PREVIEW - 6/2004
SKIRT Magazine- 3/02 Cover Artist
Art & Antiques Magazine – 4/01-Carmel Art Festival Plein Air
Painting Article Inclusion
Post & Courier Newspaper -3/02 - "Ready" publication
Post & Courier Newspaper - 5/01-Carmel Art Festival Plein Air
Painting Article
SKIRT Magazine - 5/01-Spoleto Festival & Anonymous Nights Series
Pictorial
Hilton Head Island Packet – Exhibit Review
Savannah Morning News – Show Review
Connect Savannah - Show Review
Selected
Honors & Shows
Southeastern Wildlife
Exhibition, Charleston, SC 2010
Landscape The Continuum, City Art Gallery, Greenville 2010
One Man Show with The Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC 2009
One Man Show; Iredell Museums, Statesville, NC 2006
Award of Excellence:
COPA Paint Out; 2004
Honorable Mention Award: COPA Paint Out; 2004
Merit Award: Piccolo Spoleto: 2002
Florence Museum Silver Anniversary Exhibition, 2002
Honorable Mention Award: Juried Exhibition Spoleto USA:
Carmel Art Festival Plein Air Painting Competition, Carmel, California
Best and The Brightest Show, 2001 - Scottsdale, Arizona
Invitational,
Juried Exhibitions & Gallery Shows
2011: A Kiawah Reverie, Charleston, SC November (upcoming)
2011: Like Clouds in the Sky, Charleston SC, April
2011: Sea Island Invitational Art Walk, Seabrook Island, SC
2011: Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, Charleston SC
2011: Designer Show House Boutique, Charleston, SC
2011: Piccolo Spoleto Marion Square Exhibition, Charleston SC
2010: Designer Show
House, Charleston, SC
2010: Kiawah Island Designer Show House; Kiawah Island, SC
2010: Coral Bay Club Show; NC
2010:
Southeastern Wildlife Exhibition,
Charleston, SC
2010: Landscape
The Continuum, City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
2010: Piccolo Spoleto Juried Fine Art Exposition, Charleston, SC
2010: Benefit for Arnold Palmer Hospital
Arnold Palmer
Invitational Golf Tournament, Orlando, FL
2009:
Piccolo Spoleto, Charleston, SC
2009: Southeastern Wildlife & Charleston Artist Guild
2009: Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC
2008: Piccolo Spoleto, Charleston, SC
2008: Anderson Gallery, St. Simons Island, SC PAP-SE Exhibition
2008: Artistic Reflections, Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art Gallery
2008: Great Catch Art Show, Figure 8 Island/ Tyler White Gallery, NC
2008: April Vista Walk, I Pinkney Simmons Gallery, Columbia, SC
2007: Colors of Summer, City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
2007: Pallet to Pallet Stroll, Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art, Charleston, SC
2007: Abaco Beach Resort Show, Abaco, Bahamas
2007: Small Works Show, Planet Bronze Gallery, Bozeman, Montana
2006: Summer Salon of Travelscapes, City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
2006: Tuscan Nights, Studio W, Boone, NC
2006 :Iredell Museum, Statesville, NC July 2006: One Woman Show
2006: American Heart Assn. Fine Art & Wine Gala & Auction; Live
Auction Artist
2006: Anderson Fine Art Gallery : PAP-SE Spring Exhibition (upcoming 4/06)
2006: Featured artist for Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art /CFADA Sanctuary
Winter Art Show
2005: Bank United Two Woman Show, West Palm Beach, FL
2005: CFADA Demo & Auction Benefit: Charleston, SC
2005: Featured at The Conch Pearl Gallery, Marsh Harbour Abaco
2005: The Land, The Sea & The Figure: City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
2005: Quinlan Visual Art Center: PASP-SE Southern Light: Gainesville, GA
2005: Abaco Inn Fine Art Show: Hope Town, Abaco
2005: Abaco Beach Resort Fine Art Exhibition: Marsh Harbour, Abaco
2005: Charleston Garden Festival, Charleston, SC
2004:
A Moment in Time Two Woman Show - Ella Richardson Fine Art
2004: Charleston Fine Art Dealers Demo & Auction: Charleston, SC
2004: Anderson Fine Art PAP-SE Fall Exhibition
2004: Maritime Festival Fine Art Exhibition: Charleston, SC
2004: COPA Plein Air Paint Out and Exhibition: Charleston, SC
2004: Anne Irwin Summer Salon, Atlanta, GA
2004: At One's Pleasure, 2 Woman Show w/ Martha Sharp: MUSC, Charleston, SC
2004: In Honor of Johnny Mercer - Fine Art Exhibit: Savannah, GA
2004: Art for Dance Featured Artist, Charleston, SC
2003,
2002, 2001 and prior
Charleston Fine Art Dealers Paint Out & Auction Annual Event
Carmel Art Assoc. Plein Air Painting Competition, Carmel, CA
Southern Exposure 2 Woman Show, Ella Richardson Fine Art, Charleston,
SC
Landfall Foundation Paint Out: Fountainside Gallery, Wilmington, NC
Spring Salon: Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Summer Salon & Small Works Winter Show; Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Landscape The Continuum - City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
Boca Raton Museum of Fine Art Annual Spring Exhibition, Boca Raton Florida
Gibbes Museum of Art Spring House Tour at Kiawah Island, SC
First Union One Woman Exhibit, Charleston, SC
One Woman Show; Working Boats - Bothwell Gallery, Savannah, GA
Designer Show House, Charleston, SC
Designer Show House, Beaufort, SC
Selected
Corporate Collections
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, SC
The Island House at Seabrook Island, SC
The City Marina, Charleston, SC
The Villages at Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms, SC
Hatteras Yachts, NC
First Citizens Bank ,NC
Motor Yacht Paul-n-Jane
Motor Yacht for Great Guana Beach Club, Bahamas
US
Representation:
Hagan Fine Art Gallery, Charleston, SC
City
Art Gallery; Greenville, NC
______________________________________________
Contact
Information:
Phone: 843-754-0494
Hagan Fine Art Gallery & Studio
27 1/2 State Street,
Charleston, SC 29401
Open Daily 11am-6pm
Email
Recent Press
Hickory
Museum of Art Show Photos
