Karen Clarkson

I am an American contemporary artist born in Detroit, Michigan. I create large scale architectural abstractions using color, tension, and exposed canvas.
My work investigates the quiet tension between structure and perception. Working with saturated fields of color, softened geometry, and carefully measured spatial relationships, I create environments that exist somewhere between architecture, memory, and emotion.

Rather than depicting a place, each composition constructs one. Forms press against rigid planes, edges dissolve into luminous gradients, and familiar geometric language begins to behave in unexpected ways. These subtle shifts invite viewers to slow down and experience how balance, proportion, and color shape our perception of space.

Influenced by architecture and the reductive language of Minimalism and Color Field painting, I seek clarity through restraint. Every line, edge, and field of color is intentional. Large areas of uninterrupted color create moments of stillness, while precise geometric relationships introduce rhythm, tension, and momovement.

I am fascinated by the point where geometry ceases to feel mechanical and begins to feel human. My works are not landscapes or architectural renderings; they are psycho...

Independent Study in Visual Arts

While I have not pursued formal art education, I have developed my practice through extensive independent study and hands-on experience. My self-directed education has focused on art history, Modernism, abstract painting techniques, and advanced color theory. Through years of research, experimentation, and consistent studio practice, I have developed a strong understanding of composition, color relationships, and abstraction, which form the foundation of my artistic work. This ongoing commitment to learning continues to shape and inform my creative process.

Group Exhibitions

2025
HerStory Invitational Exhibition – Manhattan Arts International (Online)

2024
Bath County Art Show – Bath County, Virginia

2023
Bath County Art Show – Bath County, Virginia

2022
My Favorite Things – Bloomfield Gallery, Richwood, West Virginia

2022
The Healing Power of ART: Resilience 2022 – Online Exhibition

2022–Present
Alleghany Highlands Arts Center – Clifton Forge, Virginia (if this reflects ongoing gallery representation)

2022
Bath County Art Show – Bath County, Virginia

2018
The Masquerade – Atlanta, Georgia

Solo Exhibitions

2022
Better Homes and Gardens – Lewisburg, West Virginia

2018
One Acre Café – Johnson City, Tennessee