Welcome TO KARENS KREATIONS
~Framed oil paintings in vibrant color's to match any decor ~
How did I start oil painting?
My grandfather was a very talented oil painter.. He painted beautiful, detailed landscapes, seascapes and portraits as a hobby... He taught my grandmother to paint as well.
They had a very large room on the back of their house with two full walls of window's that was filled with canvas's, brushes, oil paints and supplies.. My grandparents are both gone, and so is their home, but I can still see and smell that room in my mind like it's still here today.. Unfortunately, my grampa passed away when I was a young teen, and I had never asked him to teach me to oil paint.
I wish I had!
Luckily, I have quite a few of their paintings hanging in my home today.. They are, and always will be, a huge inspiration for me.
When I was in my late 30's, I started watching Bob Ross on PBS.. I was amazed at how effortlessly he painted those beautiful mountain scenes and seascapes..I was amazed and intrigued by how fast he could create those glorious mountains and ocean scenes so lifelike you could almost feel the water splashing against the TV screen!
I watched him for years before realizing he had passed on a few years earlier. When I found out, I felt like I had lost one of my best friends! I'm sure there are thousands of people, if not more, that feel the very same way! He made life a little bit nicer for so many people he never even met! He truly is missed.
His kindness, appreciation for our earth and gentle nature has always made me feel calm, happy and content, and I never grow tired of watching the weekly "Joy of Painting". Thank God for PBS and their continuing support of Bob Ross yet today.. I still tape his show's, although I'm sure I've seen every one of them... I watch him whenever I'm feeling stressed or down in the dumps or just want to relax.. His soothing voice, love for animals and amazing talent bring me a 1/2 hour of pure joy whenever I need it!
As much as I enjoyed watching Bob, getting started oil painting was not so easy... I had children, a job, a home, a life...all of which kept me very busy and unable to find the time to try my hand at oil painting... Besides all that, I just didn't have the money to buy the materials needed to get started.. So, I continued watching Bob and only dreamt of painting along with him...
In 1999, my sweet grandma passed away, and left a small inheritance to each of her grandchildren.. I couldn't think of a better way to spend that money than to buy the oil painting supplies I'd been dreaming about for so many years.. And so I did, and I've been oil painting ever since.
I'm sure it makes my grandparents smile from above :o)
What a wonderful hobby oil painting is! As Bob would say, it's your world, you can do whatever you want to do with it... And don't worry about those happy little accidents! That's what makes your painting uniquely your's!
God Bless you, too, Bob... We're still learning from you.
Nature is painting for us,
day after day,
pictures of infinate beauty....
-John Ruskin-
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating;
to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night;
to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring-
these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
-John Burroughs-
What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn't have any doubt - it's sure to get where it's going, and it doesn't want to go anywhere else.
-Hal Boyle-
Welcome To
Karens Kreations
River & Lake
Paintings
I don't have any paintings for sale at this time but have left a few of my favorite paintings posted on the site..
Hopefully, I'll get some free time soon to start a few new creations!
Here you will find original oil paintings by Michigan artist Karen Challender featuring Mountains in vibrant colors to match your home or office decor...Each framed painting is done with high quality oils and canvas and will last a lifetime..
I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed painting them.
