Summer has arrived in full force, bringing some wonderful news from the art world.

Today I learned that three of my paintings received awards in the 7th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition. It is an honour I never imagined and one that still feels almost unbelievable.

This year's competition attracted 1,750 submissions from artists in 59 countries. Only 254 paintings were accepted into the exhibition, making these awards especially meaningful.

My winning paintings are shown below.

Third Place – Animal & Wildlife

Love Changes Everything
Varnished watercolour on 24 × 24 inch panel
Currently available at Meta4 Gallery, Port Perry, Ontario

Finalist – Still Life & Floral

Simply Amaizing
Watercolour, 21 × 14 inches
Private collection

Honourable Mention – Landscape & Water

And Nothing Else Matters
Varnished watercolour on 16 × 20 inch panel
Private collection

Receiving recognition in three different categories made the news especially meaningful, as it reflects the diversity of subjects that have inspired my work.

If you browse this year's award-winning paintings, you'll quickly see the extraordinary level of creativity and technical skill on display. Seeing my work recognized alongside so many exceptional artists from around the world makes these honours even more meaningful. Click here to view all the winning paintings. 

I am grateful to Women in Watercolor, an organization founded in 2020 to encourage, support and promote women watercolour artists around the world through international exhibitions and competitions. They awarded me Signature Member status in 2023. My sincere thanks also go to the nine international judges whose expertise made these awards possible.

After decades of navigating the ups and downs of an artist's life, moments like this still fill me with the same excitement I felt as a child. I never take them for granted. Sometimes I simply have to stop and think, "Pinch me, somebody!"

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please click Leave a Comment at the top of this post and let me know which painting is your favourite.

And if you would like exclusive early access to new paintings, studio updates, travel tales, watercolour tips, and exhibition news, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter.

This week I was thrilled to learn that the largest landscape painting I ever have created has been accepted into the 58th National Juried Exhibition of the Society of Canadian Artists.

I Think I Found One, a varnished watercolour on a 28 × 40 inch panel (pictured above), is one of only 91 paintings selected for the exhibition. The jurors chose these works from 554 submissions by 223 Society of Canadian Artists members from across Canada.

The theme of this year's exhibition was Home, and this is the story that accompanied my entry:

"Home is more than a house. It is a place that shapes who we are. This large watercolour of my husband on Pebble Beach along Lake Superior near Marathon, Ontario celebrates my love of travelling and exploring with him, my fascination with the timeless beauty of stones, and my lifelong connection to the Canadian Shield. While growing up in northern Ontario, I learned to love this rugged landscape. Whenever I return to the shores of Lake Superior, I feel a profound sense of belonging. It is, and always will be, home."

To have my work included in this prestigious exhibition is truly an honour. I send warm congratulations to my fellow SCA members whose beautiful paintings and sculptures were also selected. I invite you to explore the exhibition online from July 17 to August 31, 2026 at Society of Canadian Artists 58th Juried Exhibition.

The SCA was founded in 1968 and is a respected national organization that promotes excellence in Canadian visual art through juried exhibitions and professional membership. I achieved elected member status in 2025.

This spring, I was thrilled to learn that two of my watercolour paintings featuring rocky subjects were selected as Finalists in two separate Richeson75 International Art Competitions.

Each of these prestigious competitions typically attracts entries from more than 3,500 artists representing over 70 countries. To have my paintings that were inspired by my country's iconic Canadian Shield selected by the jurors is an incredible honour.

My stone circle painting, We Are All Connected (varnished watercolour on a 24 × 24-inch panel), shown here, was chosen as one of only 75 Finalists in the Still Life & Floral competition held in April. The Finalists' and Winners' paintings are now on permanent online display here. There are some truly outstanding works in the exhibition, so I encourage you to have a look!

Then, in May, The Windy Shore (varnished watercolour on a 20 × 16-inch panel) was selected as one of 75 Finalists in the Richeson75 Landscapes, Seascapes & Architecture competition. This impressive online exhibition will open on July 3 and will remain permanently available to view here.

Artists selected for these two competitions come from Canada, the United States, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Poland, England, New Zealand, Malaysia, Australia and China. It is both humbling and rewarding to have my work exhibited alongside so many exceptional artists from around the world.

I'd love to hear what you think. Please click the Leave a Comment button at the top of this post to share your thoughts.

If you would like exclusive early access to new paintings, studio updates, travel stories, watercolour tips, and notice of upcoming exhibitions, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter.

Paint Ontario is one of the province’s most celebrated art events, and this spring it returns to Grand Bend with a stunning collection of representational painting and sculpture inspired by life in Ontario. For over 30 years, the show has drawn artists and art lovers from across the province to the shores of Lake Huron for three weeks of exceptional art, learning, and community. 

This year is especially exciting for me: it’s my first time entering Paint Ontario, and I’m thrilled to have all three paintings accepted into the exhibition (pictured below, thanks to my friend Patti Burke who attended the show on opening day). Artists from across the province submitted 632 artworks into the competition, and only 264 pieces were accepted.

These juried paintings and sculptures are beautifully displayed in a transformed gallery space at the Grand Bend Legion Community Hall. Major awards were announced at the Opening Night Gala on May 1, with the Exhibition and Sale running from May 2–17. Along the way, visitors can enjoy on-site art demonstrations and special events that make each visit unique.

You don’t need to be a collector to enjoy Paint Ontario, just an admirer of beautiful art. The collection celebrates everyday moments and familiar scenes capturing the rich diversity of our province.

Best of all, supporting Paint Ontario means supporting the arts right in the community. Proceeds help fund local music programs, youth art camps, pottery facilities, and other cultural initiatives through the Grand Bend Art Centre.

Spring feels like the perfect time to slow down, be inspired, and experience something beautiful. Paint Ontario offers all of that and more. I hope you’ll make the trip to Grand Bend and enjoy the show with fresh eyes and an open heart.

Click here for more Paint Ontario 2026 details.

Your comments are welcome; please use the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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I’m excited to share a recent win from the studio. Here’s the note I received from the Society of Canadian Artists:

"Dear Karen Richardson,
Congratulations! On behalf of the SCA, it is our pleasure to inform you that your artwork Starting Over has been successfully juried into the SCA 2026 Open International Online Juried Exhibition."

Here are a few quick details about this show that made my acceptance feel extra special:
•    14 countries represented
•    1,180 artworks submitted
•    180 works selected (about 15%)
•    $14,000 in prize money awarded

Having Starting Over included in this renowned juried exhibition feels both thrilling and deeply affirming. I congratulate all the amazing artists who have work in the show. You can view the full online exhibition until May 15 here: SCA 2026 Open International Online Juried Exhibition.

Ironically, this 12 x 9 inch painting sat half-finished in a studio drawer for five years. Finding it again was the nudge I needed to either finish it or finally let it go.

View the behind-the-scenes-story of how I brought it back to life here: The Painting That Took 5 Years to Finish. It's a lesson in patience and tenacity for us all. Sometimes we just need time to ponder our options and come up with a new way forward. 

Feel free to click on “Leave a Comment” at the top of this post. I read every note.

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Over many decades, my husband and I have toured every province and territory of Canada, and the island of Newfoundland remains one of our favourite destinations. An unexpected encounter there would later inspire three very meaningful paintings.

My dragonfly journey began in 2007, when we visited Newfoundland for the first time. We camped there for two months, exploring all of its beautiful regions.

I wrote about this fantastic holiday here and we knew we would go back some day to experience more of this magical island.

A dozen years later, we returned to The Rock for a three month tour. During that trip, we encountered lovely people and beautiful scenery everywhere. I highlighted the most memorable photos, videos, and travel stories from that summer in these posts:

Top 14 Vistas of Newfoundland

A Whale of a Tale in Newfoundland

Seeing Caribou and Moose in Newfoundland

Now comes the Viking dragonfly part. During both summers, we made a point of visiting the Viking Settlement at L'Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site on the northern tip of the province.

Discovered in 1960, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, this archaeological gem is the first and only known site established by Vikings in North America and the earliest evidence of European settlement in the New World. 

Professional actors (authentically costumed as Vikings) serve as historical interpreters, showing and telling visitors about life at the settlement 1000 years ago.

In 2019, just after we enjoyed this immersive experience, we were walking on a boardwalk over the bog, and I noticed this gorgeous dragonfly on our path.

It was the largest specimen I ever had seen, with brilliant blue dots and dashes along its body. This exquisite creature stayed obligingly still while I took several close-up  photos. I knew they would make  excellent painting references one day.

That day came last summer, during our Airstream travels. I decided to create a small painting of a pebble beach.

I sketched a still life scene showing smooth stones from my pebble collection, nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders became the dragonfly's perch.

When finished, I titled the painting A Place of Rest (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel). A collector of my work in Georgia, USA, acquired the piece for her home. 

When I announced this happy news on Facebook, one of my followers commented "My favourite is gone..." so I asked if she would like me to make a similar painting for her.

She said yes, so I created a new version of the scene, and she acquired it in celebration of her milestone birthday. The second painting was titled Rocky Repose (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel).

I thoroughly enjoyed making these two small paintings of my dragonfly and the subject kept speaking to me even after these pieces had left my studio.

Apparently, my dragonfly wasn't done with me yet. It deserved to be explored in a grander scale, so this winter I lovingly and meticulously crafted a third version in a more impactful size. I had to add new details to fill the larger spaces, inserting more stones and changing shapes and markings of others.

Pictured above is a collage of all three paintings showing their relative sizes. The two earlier pieces are on the right, and Love Changes Everything (varnished watercolour on 24 x 24 inch panel) is shown on the left.

As I reflected on why this subject continued to call me back, I began researching the deeper symbolism of dragonflies.

I discovered that they are revered as omens of good fortune in many cultures. These delicate, winged creatures are regarded as messengers of change or guides to new beginnings, and can represent loved ones who are no longer with us.

The title Love Changes Everything captures this symbolism and also is the title of a famous 1988 song by Honeymoon Suite, a Canadian pop metal band.

I hope you have enjoyed the tale of how a chance encounter with a dragonfly in Newfoundland evolved into three very special paintings. I’ve learned to pay attention when a subject keeps calling me back - because sometimes it’s leading me somewhere meaningful.

For more information about Love Changes Everything, click here.

Your suggestions and comments are welcome; please use the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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Last week I delivered two commissioned paintings to their new owners, and it warms my heart to see how delighted they are with their special new art pieces.

The painting pictured here, Tamarack Territory, varnished watercolour on 16 x 16 inch panel, now graces a home near Ottawa, Ontario.

Not familiar with the term 'commissioned'? It refers to custom artwork created with the specifications of the client in mind. Over the years, I have created almost 100 custom paintings for clients who wanted to celebrate the memory or feeling of a special time and place.

In the case of Tamarack Territory, my clients saw the two reference photos pictured here in an article I wrote in 2024, Manitoba: Through An Artist's Eye.

The first photo is Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park near Dauphin. The leaning tree on the point caught my eye but I also love the rocks in the foreground and the moody sky.

My client is from New Brunswick originally and this scene reminded her of the seashore there.

The second photo I took from the train between Thompson and Churchill. The tamaracks were in their full autumn glory the week we were there. They are a deciduous conifer whose soft needles turn golden in the fall, drop from the tree and regrow each spring.

My clients let me know they wanted a painting of the rocky shore with a few tamarack trees added. We agreed on a size that suited their wall space and I worked on the new scene for five weeks, completing it on Christmas Day.

Painting the sky and water waves really stretched my technical creative skills, and I was very pleased with the success of the finished painting.

Once it was displayed in the clients' home, they sent me this photo and remarked "We have hung our treasure beside the fireplace where we can admire it every day. It catches the morning light beautifully."

As an artist, knowing that this special piece will be treasured in its new home is very important to me, and magnifies the impetus to keep painting.

The second commissioned painting, Whispers of the Wilderness, varnished watercolour on 8 x 8 inch panel, is shown here. It now resides in Peterborough, Ontario.

My client saw a similar painting of mine last summer in my blog post New Works: Little Gems from my Traveling Studio.

The piece captured her love of exploring northern lakes by canoe and she admired the scene, but it was a bit too large for the wall space she had in mind. She asked me to create a new version of the scene in a smaller size, and with more emphasis on autumn foliage.

I finished her painting on Christmas Day and she and her husband picked it up from my studio last weekend.

The next day she sent me this photo of the new painting hanging in their living room and commented "Hi Karen! It’s hanging with my other favourite pictures!! Thank you for your incredible talent." I think the painting looks perfect in its new home (below another painting of mine, Whispers of the North) and am so pleased my clients are happy.

Whether large or small, a work of art can communicate in a personal way what no other object can. It is a permanent presence in our lives and can be passed on to future generations.

If you would like to acquire a painting similar to one of my previous pieces, or inspired by my travel stories from all across Canada, please contact me to discuss your ideas.

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. 

Since I began my art career almost 40 years ago, I have been showing my artistic creations at studio tours, art festivals, open houses, fund raisers, juried shows, and art galleries.

Over that time, almost 1,000 of my watercolour paintings have made their way, one by one, into the hearts and homes of people near and far. It warms my soul to know my creations bring peace and joy to the daily lives of so many people.

While the majority of my artworks reside with collectors in Canada and the USA, several of my paintings have become world travellers. So far, to my knowledge, my paintings are enjoyed in at least 24 countries. How cool is that!?

One of my recent travellers, Mazinaw Memoir (varnished watercolour on 6 x 12 inch panel), is shown here. It came about after a camping trip in Bon Echo Provincial Park, near Cloyne, Ontario. I shared the scenic highlights of this park in my previous blog post The Magic of Mazinaw.

I showed Mazinaw Memoir on Facebook in early December and caught the eye of a long time friend and former co-worker, who now lives and works in Cairo, Egypt. She sent me a message to acquire the painting and later picked it up at my studio while she was in Ontario visiting family for Christmas. Her message mentioned "It was one of my favourite camping places when I was young. So many memories!".

It makes me smile to think of this Ontario lake scene residing in the Middle Eastern desert, bringing happy childhood memories to a Canadian living abroad.

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. 

When I created this charming watercolour scene last July in our Airstream trailer, I loved the peaceful feeling the artwork conveyed.

While I have made over 400 paintings about rocks, this was my first one with a dragonfly. It was pure joy to recreate the body markings and delicate wings of this exquisite creature.

At the time, I had no idea how profoundly this little dragonfly at rest on a pebble beach would touch the hearts of thousands of people I have never met.

First, a little back story:

A Place of Rest, varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel was inspired by a photo I took in 2019 of a Mosaic Darner dragonfly at L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic site in Newfoundland.

I selected these uniquely striped stones from my vast pebble collection (many of which also came from Newfoundland) to use as painting references.

Then I sketched a still life scene showing the smooth stones nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders became the dragonfly's perch.

In August I introduced this painting along with several more in my Studio Newsletter. One of my subscribers, a collector of my work in Georgia, USA, moved swiftly and acquired A Place of Rest for her home.

This fall, I entered a digital image of A Place of Rest into the Richeson75 international online art competition and it was accepted as a Finalist. As is my habit, I announced this happy news on Facebook, and that is when things got really exciting very quickly.

Here is my Facebook post from November 20:

I am thrilled to announce that my watercolour painting A Place of Rest has been selected as a Finalist in the Richeson75 Animals, Birds, and Wildlife 2025 annual international competition.
Typically, this prestigious event attracts submissions from 3,500 artists in over 70 countries, so it is an incredible honour to see my little painting from Canada be accepted by the jury.
The 75 Finalists and Winners paintings are on permanent display online at
https://richeson75.com/pages/wildlife/2025/index.html There are some awesome pieces here so do check them out!
A Place of Rest (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel) now resides in the home of one of my collectors in Georgia, USA. She sent me this lovely note: "Your painting arrived. When I opened it, my husband said "wow, that's amazing!" You have a gift for watercolor realism I haven't seen from any other artist. Thanks so much - you can rest assured your work will be well appreciated in its new home."

I was not prepared for, and cannot explain, the avalanche of good wishes that came my way in response to this post. Shown below are Facebook's audience engagement stats as of November 24.

Including two Facebook group sites where I shared my post, in the span of four days it has been viewed over 100,000 times, reached over 70,000 people, and attracted over 5,000 interactions including almost 1,000 comments. I have never had a post receive this much attention in all the years I have been on Facebook.

In the midst of all this excitement, several people asked if they could order prints of my dragonfly painting, so I got to work on that right away.

I am happy to report, A Place of Rest is now available as art prints from my online publisher Fine Art America. (Just in time, in case they have a Black Friday Sale!)

Prints of this dragonfly painting can be ordered on your choice of substrates (paper, canvas, metal, acrylic, wood, or fabric) in sizes ranging from 8 x 8 inches to 36 x 36 inches. Fine Art America will create a custom archival print to your specifications and ship directly to you from their closest manufacturing facility. Shown here is an example of a framed paper print. Check out my entire collection of art prints here.

And that is the remarkable tale of how my little dragonfly went viral.

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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