Karen Mathison Schmidt is a full time artist living and working in the farm country of north Louisiana. Growing up in a military family, Karen lived in eight different places by the age of 13, when they moved to Shreveport. Family vacations included many trips to visit family in the South and the West. Karen has long found herself in awe of the beauty of God's creation; she got her first camera at a very young age and can't remember a time when she hasn't been taking pictures, as well as drawing and painting.

Karen studied art history and commercial art at Centenary College and Louisiana Tech, and has taught herself to paint in oils and acrylics by studying the techniques of other artists, and practice, practice, practice! She has been greatly influenced and inspired by the art of America's Golden Age of Illustration, particularly the work of Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Jessie Wilcox Smith and others.

"I constantly challenge myself to grow as an artist, continually seeking to improve my skills and techniques with the hope that my work will steadily move toward excellence. I love learning, and I love painting; I'll never stop doing either as long as I'm able!"

Click here to learn more about her work.