Original oil painting Wild Bear fine art by Karen Tarlton

Wild Bear

12x16

Oil

It's a wild windy night here in Vegas as I type.  If you've ever lived in the desert you know what I'm talking about.  The wind sounds like a wild animal roaring and I think at any moment a tree will come toppling on our house!  

This painting is a favorite of mine.  The wild beast in full color! Thanks for checking in and I hope it inspires you!

"Painting is silent poetry." ~Plutarch, Moralia

Original oil painting Christmas Snow by Karen Tarlton

9x12

Christmas Snow

Oil

Ok we've been very spoiled here in Vegas with the Spring weather for the last few months but the temp is going to drop!  Going down in the 40's this week......brrrrr!  If we got a little snow I wouldn't mind the cold so much.  Snow makes everything magical!

This painting would make a great holiday gift!!!

Original oil painting - Rainy First Kiss - by Karen Tarlton

 Painted a romance painting this week.  Feeling the love this holiday season and  it shows in my work I suppose.

12x16

Oil

SOLD

We went out to RedRock today and hiked around on the beautiful mountains of Red rock that rise from the earth out in the middle of the Mojave desert here in Las Vegas.

A beautiful 70 degree day full of sunshine, golden light, and both my daughters home with us!  There is not a better feeling than having both my girls on either side of me!  

This place has real beauty. I really do need to paint some of this lovely desert land and sky. On my to paint list for sure!

Original oil painting Tuscany Vineyard by Karen Tarlton

Tuscany Vineyard

20x24

Oil

SOLD

I haven't painted a vineyard in awhile and Italy's vineyards are so beautiful and fun to paint!  Lots of texture and broken color with thick impasto oil.  

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and has a great weekend.

“I dream my paintings, and then they paint my dream.” ~Vincent Van Gogh

Original oil painting - Rooster - palette knife fine art by Karen Tarlton

16x20

Oil

Happy Thanksgiving Rooster

SOLD

For over twenty years I have squeezed my professional art career between taking care of babies, cleaning my house and cooking masterful meals, and somehow, even on Thanksgiving, I find time to paint everyday!  My paintings always begin in my mind, sometimes while I sleep, so I do a lot of mental painting first. 

My daughter helping me bake!

My other daughter helping bake pies!
This morning, while I was making my Thanksgiving meal prepartations consisting of baking 2 delicious pies with my daughters, chopping vegies and herbs and peeling potatoes, I  thought of several new paintings I want to start this afternoon!  Now that my turkey is in the oven and everything is ready for dinner, I get to paint for a couple hours.....yeah!  My youngest is singing, practicing for a musical audition, and oldest doing homework for college.  My Dad and husband are watching football (and I'm inturrupted by the occasional yell or moan).  The house smells fantastic, with the heartwarming scent of gingerbread from my Mom's cookies now baking.   I love Thanksgiving.

I'm so blessed and so very happy to be here enjoying every moment of this day with my family and I hope all of you have a wonderful day with loved one as well!

Original oil painting Christmas Poinsettia by Karen Tarlton

Christmas Poinsettia

12x12

Oil

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” ~Georgia O’Keeffe

I loved my other holiday poinsettia painting that sold so here is one more for the season.  A nice square size and thick chuncky oil paint!

Original oil painting Abstract Pear palette knife impasto fine art by Karen Tarlton

Passionate Pear

12x16

Oil

SOLD

“Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who can’t attain it in anything.” ~Eugene Delacroix

Art, in all its forms, is an accumulation of knowledge. Each painting, for me, is the embodiment of my  lifetime experiences, education, efforts, intuition, and emotions.  It's always interesting to me to see how life changes us and I visually see these changes in my artwork.  It's much more colorful than it used to be 15 years ago.  I wonder what a therapist would say that means?  I hope it's because I'm a happy, positive person or at least I try to be.  I have a half glass full attitude about life, and think it resonates in my works.  Doesn't this look like a happy pear?

Moonlight Romance original fine art by Karen Tarlton

16x20 

Moonlight Romance

SOLD

Brand new blog form and function with many new features!  I'm happy with it and it is fun to learn more and more about how to use this computer! 

As you might have noticed, I've been updating all my web pages and noticed I haven't updated my charity paintings in about a year.  To see my latest charity donations check of the following link:

My latest donations

Two Wild and Free palette knife fine art by Karen Tarlton

24x36

Oil

A very special and large equine work!  I used so much paint on this it must weigh 8 lbs!  Great texture and powerful movement.

karensfineart.tumblr.com/

Galleries: City Lights Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
The Arlington Arts Gallery, Arlington Virginia
Galerie Severn, New Orleans Louisiana
The Stonehenge Gallery, Montgomery Alabama, SAC's Gallery, Montgomery Alabama,
KR Designs, Fort Myers,FL
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Original oil Painting Pink and White Peonies impressionstic palette knife fine art

Pink Peonies

16x20

Oil

SOLD

Brand new and still wet.  I just felt like painting a soft, floral and very feminine painting so here it is.  It would look great on a soft blue, grey or light green wall in shabby chic or rustic french country setting.  Hope you enjoy!

The Race - Original oil painting by Karen Tarlton

The Race

24x30

Oil

SOLD

Horses in motion in thick oils.....a joy to paint.  Sometimes I begin a painting like this with a grisaille, but this time I just began with brilliant color on the white canvas, careful to keep my shapes interesting and my colors true.  As I block in the painting I squint my eyes, often standing back, and put in only the main shapes. Final colors and bits of detail are added last with sweeping drags and and a loaded knife!

Late Night New York City Rain - Original oil painting by Karen Tarlton

Late Night NYC Rain

12x16

Oil

SOLD

I do love painting rainy scenes.  I see rain as cleansing, renewing and as bringing forth a recharging of the spirit!  What do you see I wonder.

"What you see depends on what you're looking for." ~ Source Unknown

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

- Albert Schweitzer

Original oil painting - Christmas Poinsettia - impasto palette knife fine art by Karen Tarlton

SOLD
9x12
Christimas Poinsettia
Oil

Brilliant color! I love the reds of this flower and love decorating with them all December!  This one makes a lovely gift as it never fades!
Brand new and still wet!

Karen Tarlton - Original oil painting Commission

I loved painting this lovely seascape for one of my collectors in Malta!  What a beautiful place Malta is!  I've painted many scenes in Malta and must go visit one day! It looks like paradise to me.

Still time for holiday commissions!  I like to take most of my holiday orders in Oct/November so they have time to dry so don't delay!

Autumn Radiance palette knife landscape by Karen Tarlton

SOLD

Autumn Radiance

24x36

Oil

Like a tapestry.  I look at a landscape's light and atmosphere and enjoy painting Autumn scenes because of the interplay between shadow and light.  I was drawn to the depth and contrast of colors of these trees and punched up the color and hardened and softened various edges to draw the eye.

One of the most wonderful things is bringing a painting to someone's house and hanging it on their wall, and seeing the impact it makes to the room!  Every once in a while I get the pleasure of doing this, but most of my works are shipped off to decorate your homes far away from me.

I always enjoy when you send me a photo of it hanging in your room and thank you for the many people who take the time to share!

Snowy Starry Night by Karen Tarlton

Snowy Starry Night

12x16

Oil

Yes another Van Gogh inspired painting.  He is my favorite and like him, I love to paint everyday and sometimes with an almost frenzied pace.  I feel such a calm peace when painting these scenes from my memory and imagination. 

I grew up in the mountains near Lake Tahoe.  Images of winter are always in my mind and especially the colors of winter.  I don't see white but vivid color as it reflects off of winter's icy surfaces!

Original custom oil painting commission by Karen Tarlton

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Karensfineart

24x30
Oil
Sold
What a joy to paint this large commission!  A New Orleans wedding and the front of a Second Line wedding parade through the French Quarter.  Looks like fun!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!