About the Artist
Inspired by Light
Karen McLean-McGaw, a nationally acclaimed artist and Santa Barbara native, has been capturing the essence of California and European landscapes for the past 25 years with her vibrant and sensitive paintings. Karen is well know for her landscapes and waterfront settings in California, France and Italy where she travels annually.
Her small format paintings are executed "en plain air" while larger compositions are painted in her light filled studio in Santa Barbara. She is frequently invited to jury shows, demonstrate her painting techniques and teach workshops in California and France. In addition to major corporate and private collections her work has been featured on magazine covers and won national awards.
"My approach to plain air painting is direct, I strive to convey the uniqueness of the landscape and the feeling of a fleeting moment in time.
It may be the angle and subtle color of a shadow or the reflective and mesmerizing qualities of water that grab my attention."
