Throughout the year, my artwork is exhibited at three galleries across central Ontario. With the festive season fast approaching, I want to share with you the special holiday events being hosted by these galleries, and invite you to attend. Absorb all the inspiring vibes in these lovely locales, and perhaps take advantage of their seasonal sales while you are there. You just might find a uniquely wonderful gift for yourself or a special someone.

Colborne Street Gallery at 36 Colborne Street in Fenelon Falls currently is hosting their very popular two-month show 'A Holiday Art Market', which runs until December 23. This show and sale features a wide range of affordable art and home decor items, made by regional artists. The Gallery also has for sale autographed copies of my book Watercolour Toolbox: Essentials For Painting Success.

Pictured above are the varnished watercolours I have available there. I call this body of work my 'Northern Hues' Collection because of the vivid colours in many of these scenes of the Canadian Shield. See more details about these pieces here.

Enjoy the Holidays with Small Art at Eclipse Art Gallery This beautifully curated gallery represents the work of over 50 Canadian artists. They are at 3 Brunel Road in downtown Huntsville, and also display selected artworks at Deerhurst Resort (1235 Deerhurst Drive, Hunstville). 

Shown above are the paintings I have in their seasonal show of small scale visual art, perfect for gift giving. I call this collection my 'Northern Magic' Series as each piece features a special moment of light that is pure magic.

Receive 10% off online or in store from November 28 to December 24 on all Small Art at Eclipse Art Gallery. (Use code: Holidays if shopping online.) Click here for the link to my art page on the gallery web site.

Twelve Days of Christmas: It’s time again for META4 Gallery’s annual Christmas sale in downtown Port Perry at 200 Queen Street. They offer a discount on a different art medium each day, for the first 12 days of December. Meta4 represents 100+ awesome Ontario artists.

Regarding my paintings, on December 3 and 12 you can save 10% on all visual art, including seven of my varnished watercolours shown above. I named this body of work my 'Northern Adventures' Series because it feature canoes, an island cabin, and glorious skies witnessed on camping excursions in northern Canada.

If you like to make art, Meta4 Gallery offers excellent art workshops for adult students throughout the year in their studio space, and on December 8 offers 10% off Art Supplies.

The Gallery also has for sale a selection of my Art Cards (pictured here) and autographed copies of my art instruction book Watercolour Toolbox: Essentials For Painting Success.

See more Meta4 Gallery details here.

I hope you find this rundown of upcoming seasonal events helpful. Refer to Gallery web sites for store hours and locations.

Wherever your holiday season takes you, may you find peace, joy, and inspiration for the soul.

Have you visited any of these galleries and what was your impression? If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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My painting pictured here, Superior Solace, varnished watercolour on 11 x 14 inch panel, was selected this summer as one of 75 Finalists in the annual Richeson75 Landscape, Seascape, and Architecture International Art Competition. 

This watercolour artwork captures the misty day my husband and I explored the massive flat rock beach at Marathon, ON, on the Canadian shore of Lake Superior. The vastness of this landscape dwarfs its human visitors. Imagine the millions of years it took for the lake to sculpt these smooth, sloping shores.

I sent hearty congratulations to all the Richeson75 Finalists, who reside in Canada, USA, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, England, France, Turkey, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Russia. The collection of 75 winning paintings are featured in a permanent online exhibit that opened July 15. View the winning paintings here.

This summer I also learned that all three of the paintings I entered in the 6th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition were accepted into the exhibit, and all three paintings won awards.

This year, there were 1730 entries from women artists in 56 countries, and only 276 paintings were accepted into the online show. To have all three of my entries accepted and win awards is truly remarkable, and I am most grateful to the panel of nine international judges who selected my works for these honours.

My piece The Windy Shore, varnished watercolour on 20 x 16 inch panel, was awarded the Streamline Publishing Merchandise Award in the Landscape and Water Category. My prize was a subscription to Plein Air Magazine. 

The Windy Shore was inspired during my stay at a lodge on a cluster of tiny islands in Georgian Bay. While kayaking there, I was treated to my first up-close views of the iconic rock of that region of Ontario. The patterns in these smooth rock slabs and the windswept trees are an artist's dream to paint.

My painting Sunbathing Swallowtails, varnished watercolour on 18 x 24 inch panel, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Animal & Wildlife Category from Women in Watercolor.

What a privilege it was to sit on a sandy beach beside a lake in northern Ontario, watching the antics of these male Tiger Swallowtail butterflies, while we ate a picnic lunch. I will never forget the experience. I painted these charming insects back in my studio.

We Are All Connected, varnished watercolour on 24 x 24 inch panel, shown above with me in my studio the day I finished the painting, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Still Life & Floral Category from Women in Watercolor.

This painting is inspired by my collection of smooth striped stones, gathered during our travels across Canada. The circle is symbolic of unity and the stripes represent the traits we share that connect us together, even though we are unique as individuals.

You can view all the winning paintings in the 6th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition here.

In August I was thrilled to learn that We Are All Connected also was juried into the Society of Canadian Artists 57th International Exhibition. Out of 631 entries from professional artists all across Canada, 114 were accepted. The online show opened August 27 and runs till September 30. See all 114 accepted artworks here.

After many decades spent navigating through this roller coaster artist's life of mine, I still feel as thrilled as a little kid when good things like this happen. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to visit and paint the places I adore, and then share my paintings with people all over the world. I often think to myself "Pinch me, somebody!".

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

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This past winter, a Facebook friend sent me notice of an upcoming international online art competition. 

I don't often take the time to enter these competitions, which are offered by organizations all over the world, because it takes a lot of investigating to determine which ones are legitimate. 

This competition caught my attention, however, because it was offered by the Society of Canadian Artists, a prestigious, well-known, not-for-profit, Canadian arts organization.

After learning their mandate is "Fostering the visibility and stature of the visual arts in Canada", I decided I wanted to support this national organization in its efforts to promote professional Canadian artists and their artwork. 

I joined the Society in February as an associate member, and entered three paintings into their 2025 Open International Online Juried Exhibition.

In March, I learned the good news that my painting The Windy Shore, pictured above, was one of 167 artworks accepted into the show, out of 1180 pieces entered by 425 artists from around the world. The online show runs from April 1 to June 15 this year. View the award winners and other accepted works here.

Later that month, the Society announced their spring call to apply for Elected Membership Status. They outlined all the benefits such as eligibility to enter their annual shows and qualify for over $30,000 in prizes, as well as being permitted to use the prestigious “SCA” designation after one's signature on paintings.

I spent a whole day preparing my application to become an Elected Member. I chose images of ten recent paintings representing my best work (including those pictured in this post) and outlined my professional development over the last 40 years. 

That summary included my exhibitions history, gallery representation, public/corporate/VIP collectors, awards, and publications. I added a list of my contributions to the artistic community, such as teaching watercolour classes for 15 years, publishing my award-winning art instruction book Watercolour Toolbox, and coordinating art shows and studio tours for many years.

I concluded my 15-page application with this statement:

"After 40 years of study and exploration, I feel like I have arrived at the heart and soul of my artistic expression, focusing on the wild landscapes of Canada. Being able to bring peace and joy to people all over the world, especially during these troubling times, is a privilege and a blessing I will never take for granted.

"I am applying for Elected Membership because it will give me an opportunity to support and celebrate Canadian art and artists, something I have always done enthusiastically. I believe artists should encourage one another and applaud each other’s accomplishments. As our nation faces an existential threat, and we all are becoming more appreciative of our country, artists and arts organizations can help define and celebrate what it means to ‘be Canadian’.

"Several artist friends of mine are members of different arts organizations. I have considered applying before, but I wondered if I would fit in, as a self-taught artist. When I read about the Society and gathered the information for this application, I realized I have a vast amount of ‘in the trenches’ experience to share, and I hope you agree."

Apparently the Society did agree, and I was extremely pleased and honoured to receive this email notice from them today: 

"On behalf of the SCA," it read in part, "it is my pleasure to inform you that your application for Elected Membership status in the Society of Canadian Artists has been successfully accepted!! You will receive an official paper certificate by Canada Post in the upcoming days. Thank you very much for your outstanding application!" After a long list of membership features and benefits, the email concluded: "We are delighted to welcome you as an Elected Member of the Society of Canadian Artists!"

It feels amazing and surreal to be recognized by this remarkable organization that was officially founded in 1972 (although germinating since 1957), and "born to foster and celebrate the visual arts in Canada". 

The Society subsequently published these interesting details about this round of elected membership: "This spring the Call for SCA Elected Membership received entries from 59 artists and ~600 pieces of art were submitted for jurying... As with our SCA Exhibitions, the depth and breadth of the submissions were remarkable – the majority of whom were from accomplished professional artists with a prestigious array of previous awards, recognitions, and gallery shows. The jurying process was very challenging and filled with numerous agonizing decisions. In the end, a record number of 38 artists were accepted for SCA Elected Membership."

This is the second major arts organization that has recognized my artistic accomplishments.

Two years ago, I successfully achieved Signature Membership Status in Women in Watercolor, an international organization based in the USA, by winning an award in their Annual International Juried Competition three separate years within a six-year time period. (The competition had been running for four years at that point and I had won a total of nine prizes by then. I always was an over-achiever.) This designation means I can use the initials "WIW" after my signature. 

I guess I will have to write smaller when I sign my paintings, so I can fit in all those extra letters! ;-)

I am profoundly grateful to live this artist's life, being able to share with the world my soul-deep connection with nature and the art it inspires. Having someone acquire one of my paintings is the highest compliment I can imagine. Being recognized and welcomed by my artistic peers is icing on the cake.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

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Spring is busting out all over here in Ontario and brought with it sunny tidings on the artistic front. I have two pieces of happy news to share with you.

My recent painting of Georgian Bay titled The Windy Shore (watercolour on 20 x 16 inch panel, private collection) has been accepted into the Society of Canadian Artists 2025 Open International Online Juried Exhibition this week!

The Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) is a national, non-profit artists’ organization founded in 1972 and dedicated to fostering and celebrating the visual arts in Canada. 

The SCA reports that 425 artists from 12 countries submitted 1,180 paintings and sculptures to this year's international competition. 

This is the first time I have applied to an SCA event and, to my amazement, The Windy Shore was one of 167 artworks accepted into the online exhibition.

I am thrilled to have this honour and send my humble appreciation to the SCA and their panel of judges. I also send hearty congratulations to all the artists whose work was accepted.

Click here to view the show which runs until June 15.

The other exciting news is about my painting Moonglow (watercolour on 20 x 16 inch panel, private collection). 

Last month, I was thrilled to hear it won a Viewer's Choice Award in the Women in Watercolor Members Only Online International Exhibition 2025. 

There were over 300 entries and the winners are shown below: 2 from Canada, 1 from Iran, and 3 from USA.

Congratulations to all the award winners, and thank you to all my fans and followers who voted! 

I am grateful to the Women in Watercolor organization, which was formed in 2020 to "help encourage, support, and promote the outstanding women that are working in this medium on an international level, through online competitions, and in-person events". 

Click here to view the online exhibition of watercolour paintings from all over the world.

After many decades spent navigating through this roller coaster artist's life of mine, I still feel as thrilled as a little kid when good things like this happen. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to visit and paint the places I adore, and then share my paintings with people all over the world. I often think to myself "Pinch me, somebody!".

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter for exclusive early access to new work, studio news updates, travel tales, painting tips, and notices of upcoming exhibitions.

I subscribe to The Art of Watercolour magazine, which is published quarterly in France and circulated to over 30,000 readers worldwide. Each issue is packed with articles about watercolour artists from around the globe, describing their methods and inspiration for their paintings.

In each issue the publishers announce a themed competition into which each reader may submit up to three watercolour paintings.

All submissions are posted on line and readers vote for their favourite paintings. The votes are tallied, and the 100 paintings with the most votes are published in the next magazine issue.

Since I began entering paintings into this competition three years ago, I have been blessed to have ten of my watercolours voted into the Top 100 in five different issues. Those winners are pictured together at the top of this post.

When I received the 54th magazine issue (June 2024) in the mail recently, I was delighted to see two of my paintings featured in in it.

The theme was 'Capturing the Light of a Summer Scene'. My winning watercolours are Simply Superior (24 x 12 inches) a Lake Superior beach scene which placed in the top 20, and The Golden Hour (10 x 10 inches), a misty sunrise scene at the Richardson family's cottage on Big Cedar Lake.

Earlier this year, I was thrilled to learn that all three of the monarch butterfly paintings I entered in a 'Wildlife' themed competition were voted into the Top 100 in the 48th issue (January 2023). Even more astounding: they all placed in the top 50.

The paintings are Superior Monarch (10 x 10 inches), Time to Head South (16 x 20 inches), and Sacred Spirit (10 x 10 inches).

The previous summer, my watercolours Bathing Beauties (20 x 16 inches) and Mystical Morning (12 x 16 inches) were voted into the Top 100 of issue #46 (June 2022).

The theme of this competition was 'Summer Light' and it attracted over ten thousand votes.

When I received the magazine and saw my lake superior pebble beach scene actually placed tenth, I was over the moon. The misty lake scene with canoe was inspired during a cruise I took on Lake Muskoka.

The previous winter, the competition theme was 'Winter Atmosphere' in the 43rd issue (Dec 2021).

My winter scene Moonglow (20 x 16 inches) was voted into the Top 100. (It placed in the top 40.)

This is one of my all time favourite winter scenes. It was inspired by a photo, taken by northern Ontario photographer James Shedden, and used with his permission.

In this piece, a vintage cabin sits nestled in the quiet of a winter forest, under the warm glow of a full moon. Two venerable conifers stand guard as branches creak and wind sighs softly through a gentle night.

The previous summer, my maritime paintings Reflections of Yesterday (12 x 16 inches) and Guardians of the Bay (12 x 12 inches) were voted into the Top 100 paintings in the magazine's 42nd issue (July 2021). They were inspired by my trips to PEI and Newfoundland.

The theme of the competition was 'Urban Landscapes and Seascapes' and almost 20,000 votes were cast.

It is gratifying to know that artists, art show organizers, gallery owners, art societies and collectors from around the world see some merit in paintings that spring from my heart and soul. This international recognition makes me feel that I am making art that matters, that celebrates something worthy, and that people care about. 

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter for exclusive early access to new work, studio news updates, travel tales, painting tips, and notices of upcoming exhibitions.

Summer has arrived in full force and brought with it a bounty of sunny tidings on the artistic front.

The first piece of happy news is so remarkable, I hardly can believe my good fortune. About a week ago, I learned that not just one, but three of my paintings had won awards in the 4th annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition.

The congratulatory letter went on to say, "This year's competition had over 1800 submissions from over 60 countries from the best of the best women watercolor artists, so you should be very proud!". My winning paintings are shown below.

Superior Jewels (varnished watercolour on 20 x 16 inch panel, private collection)

Won Third Place in the Landscape & Water Category

Where Garden Meets Rock (varnished watercolour on 40 x 28 inch panel, private collection)

Won Finalist in the Still Life & Floral Category

Superior Lady (varnished watercolour on 14 x 11 inch panel, private collection)

Won Honorable Mention in the Animal & Wildlife Category

I am grateful to the Women in Watercolor organization, which was formed in 2020 to "help encourage, support, and promote the outstanding women that are working in this medium on an international level, through online competitions, and in-person events". I also send heartfelt appreciation to the nine international judges who bestowed awards upon my artwork.

If you take a tour of all the inspiring prize winning paintings at https://womeninwatercolor.com/2023-award-winners/ you will understand how incredibly blessed I feel to have received these honours, given the level of technical and creative excellence among the winning artists.

The second piece of happy news arrived in the mail a few weeks ago, in the latest issue of Airstream Life magazine. This subscriber-based quarterly publication serves 10,000 enthusiasts of the iconic brand of recreational vehicles and related active outdoor lifestyle.

I had been interviewed last winter by one of the magazine's writers, for a series called Collecting Experiences, focusing on various creative pursuits that Airstream owners enjoy.

When the June 2023 issue came out, I was thrilled to learn that it contained a seven page feature article, illustrated with a dozen colour images of my watercolour paintings, telling the story of my artistic life and how my paintings are inspired by our adventures traveling in our Airstream trailer. (I wish I could share a copy of the article here, but it is only available to magazine subscribers.)

After many decades spent navigating through this topsy turvy artist's life of mine, I still feel as thrilled as a little kid when good things like this happen. I feel incredibly fortunate and often think to myself "Pinch me, somebody!".

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

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I had to keep this piece of happy news secret for several months, but now that the City of Kawartha Lakes has announced the official winners of this year's That's a Wrap Art Competition, I can share the story.

It began last June with a Call for Entry from the City regarding a temporary (3-year) public art initiative to wrap select traffic control boxes along the Kawartha Lakes road network with artist-created imagery.

The theme of the competition was Nature & Outdoors, and applicants had to be residents of Kawartha Lakes.

This project was a partnership between the City and Kawartha Arts Network, intended to enliven the urban landscape, help reduce graffiti, and visually connect the communities of Kawartha Lakes for area residents and visitors.

As an extension of the program, chosen artwork also is featured in the 2023 Municipal Calendar.

I submitted eight of my painted images in July and was delighted to learn in August that my painting 'Nightfall', was one of nine images chosen for installation this fall.

Everyone was asked to keep quiet about winning the competition until the City could make a formal announcement after the wraps were installed.

The City worked with Auto Trim & Signs in Lindsay to design and create vinyl wraps to fit the control boxes, based on the artists' digital images of their paintings, and installation was completed by early November.

My artwork image 'Nightfall' was installed on a traffic control box in front of the Bobcaygeon Municipal Service Centre, at the corner of County Rd. 36 and King St.

WOW it looks amazing, far surpassing my expectations! Auto Trim & Signs did a wonderful job of the wrap design and installation.

Here is a list of the location and artist for each art wrap image in the 2022 program:

Bobcaygeon (2):
Canal St and Bolton- Karen Szostak
Highway 36 and King St- Karen Richardson

Fenelon Falls (2):
Victoria st and Lindsay- Lindsay Edmam
Lindsay st and Colborne - Donna Bisschop

Lindsay (5):
Mary St and Lindsay- Wren Kellar
Victoria St and Colborne- Joy Mccallister
Kent St and Albert- Christine Woods
Mary St and Angeline- Megan Lowry-Smith
Kent St and St Joseph’s- Rhonda Larson

To view all the art images chosen for That's a Wrap, and see a map of their locations, visit That's a Wrap - City of Kawartha Lakes.

I am grateful to the City of Kawartha Lakes and Kawartha Arts Network for the opportunity to participate in phase one of this wonderful public art project. Next year, the City plans to run another competition and wrap more traffic control boxes in Kawartha Lakes.

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My annual Spring Open Studio event, held on the last weekend in April, was a resounding success, with several major works finding forever homes. I thank everyone who came out to my Lindsay studio to see my new landscapes and nature study paintings, and have a chat and a tour of my creative space.

Everyone who attended was eligible to enter a free draw for my 'Rocks of the Rock' painting, valued at $400. The winner was Erika Thimm, a naturalist and nature photographer from Port Perry (shown with me above).

Erika has been attending my art events for the last 20 years and she brought to my Open Studio a new Canadian Kurdish family of six from Syria, that came one year ago to Port Perry. The children, artistically inclined, especially enjoyed seeing some Canadian art. Erika made this comment after the show: ''I so much enjoy Karen's work, because she brings the spirit of the subjects to the canvas - what I see and feel in Nature.''

Shown below are several photos of my studio, taken just before visitors arrived.

The photo below shows three paintings in progress on my drafting table. Visitors enjoyed this glimpse into the process of my artwork creation and I spoke to many people interested in attending my watercolour classes.

I truly enjoyed hosting my Spring Open Studio. This was a perfect time of year  and I look forward to doing it every April.

If you have any ideas, questions, or comments to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

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Last fall, I created this watercolour painting from a photo taken in Nova Scotia during our 2017 Maritime trip.

I love the apparent simplicity of this composition, with three smooth pebbles sitting in a cleft of weathered driftwood. But the image implies a more complex meaning to me; one of shelter, security, togetherness, and family.

When the painting was completed, I posted a picture of it on Facebook, to ask my online friends for suggestions for a title. The image got a strong response, with about 50 title ideas coming forward. The one I selected was 'Fitting In', but I made note of all the suggestions, to use on future paintings I am creating in a series about cracks and crevices. An artist friend also suggested I add a living creature to the driftwood cleft, peeking over the stones. Hmmm... food for thought.

Then I entered 'Fitting In' in the This Is Home painting competition, sponsored by Artwork Archive. My artwork took first place with over 800 votes on Facebook, winning the Voter's Choice award of US$300. A few weeks later, two of my paintings, including 'Fitting In', were accepted into the PineRidge Arts Council 18th Annual Juried Art Exhibition (shown above). This competition had 190 pieces submitted by 103 artists, with only 65 paintings being accepted into the show by the juror.

During this time, I recognized that this image would be an excellent subject for a watercolour class, allowing me to teach several key aspects, such as choosing a focal point, contrasting light and dark, depicting smooth and rough textures, and mixing subdued colours, to name a few.

So this spring, I taught this subject twice in classes held in my Lindsay studio, and my instincts were correct; my students LOVED painting this scene and learning all I could impart along the way. They used actual stones from my rock collection as reference, to make their creations unique.

Here are photos of my students with their finished pieces:

Several of the students made comments after class:

"I learn so much when I take workshops with you. You have such a fantastic knowledge base. You explain the why as well as the how! Painting in your studio, surrounded by your incredible paintings, is such an inspiration. And you are a joy as a teacher! Thanks a million for an incredible time!" ~Diane S.

"We had such a wonderful time. I learned SO much about handling watercolour and how to achieve different textures. The "ah ha" moment for me was learning how to mix all those subtle colours from just three primaries. Karen is an awesome teacher who is able to convey so much of her knowledge and experience to her students." ~Jan Z.

"Thank you so much for the whole experience. It was such an inspiring and educational two days. I know that is due to your organization, presentation and overall thoughtfulness of your students. I did not really believe I could leave that workshop with a piece of art that resembled what Jan had shown me after she attended the 'Pebbles' workshop. What an amazing feeling that was... Thank you again for sharing your expertise and delighting in the pleasure that your 'gift' brings others." ~Roz G.

I made a new demonstration painting during each session, to show the students various painting techniques, and I decided to add a living creature to each one, to make paintings that were different from my first version. Here are the three paintings shown as a series:

In considering appropriate titles, I first came up with 'Fitting In', 'Sitting In', and 'Flitting In' for the series. Then I thought, since possibly these three paintings will end up in the hands of separate collectors, the humour might be lost. I decided a more appropriate title for the version with the squirrel would be 'Curiosity', and for the version with the butterfly, 'A Moment's Rest'. I would love to hear your thoughts on titles.

These three paintings, part of a group of almost 40 pieces, will be on display at my Spring Open Studio (weekend of April 28 and 29, 1 to 5 pm) in Lindsay. I hope you can meet the trio in person. One can't help but smile when seeing them.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please let Karen know by clicking on the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

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