WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Karen Israel is a full-time artist in West Hartford who captures fleeting moments with her soft pastels to tell visual stories.
Often the subject of her work is the everyday, but her mastery of color and light brings the moments from ordinary to extraordinary.
“Currently, I am inspired most by figures that populate scenes in all types of environments, but I am especially drawn at this moment to the busy life on New York City streets,” she said.
Her pastel painting Day Tripper shows a woman walking six dogs on a street. The leashes in the woman’s hand and the curb of the sidewalk lead the viewer's eyes from the dogs to the woman. The highlights in her hair help capture the texture. This juxtaposes with the much smoother texture of the background. The use of complementary colors also helps make the subject pop.
“Over the years, my work has evolved from the representational to the impressionistic, with an occasional nod to the surreal. When creating, my priority is a dynamic design pattern, exciting color harmony, and interesting edges,” said Israel.
She has been featured in several magazines including the Pastel Journal, the only fine art magazine devoted solely to the pastel medium. She also has work in New Haven Paint and Clay’s permanent collection.
You can see more of her work at the upcoming “Inside Narrative and Storytelling” exhibition at the Hygienic Gallery in New London. The show starts on March 23 and continues until April 20. She will be showing with other Gallery One artists.
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You can see her upcoming classes on her website. You can also connect with her on Facebook or Instagram.
Ashley RK Smith is an assignment desk editor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at asmith@fox61.com
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