About the Artist:
Karen J. Lloyd
Raised in the coastal town of historic Mystic, Connecticut, Karen J. Lloyd developed an appreciation for art at an early age. Family members and friends were often recipients of small drawings doodled in cards or homemade miniature books handwritten with original stories and illustrated on every page. Nature scenes and animals, especially horses, graced many of her paintings and drawings. Even in school art projects she would devise a way to incorporate these elements, such as her first clay sculpture, a model of the famous pony Misty of Chincoteague.
As a young woman,
Karen was inspired each summer by Mystic’s annual Outdoor Art Show and
the presence of the Mystic Art Association. She was fortunate to have an acclaimed water color painter for 3 years as a middle school art teacher. L.K. Hall's belief in her abilities helped give her the confidence to pursue art outside of the classroom more than ever.
In 2004, Karen graduated with Departmental Honors from the University of
Vermont with a BA in English, minor in Animal Studies. An art college
professor strongly urged her to switch her major to Art...a tempting thought. Karen
hopes to someday return to college with an academic focus on art and writing.
A long-term dream is to write and illustrate her own books.
Posing next to Honorable Mention winner "Dragonfly Trio" (2009)
Bunlandia: Meet the Real Superstars of the Family
When she is away
from her camera and canvas, Karen loves relaxing at home with a good
book and her two house rabbits, "Squirrel" the grey Chinchilla Giant and rescue bunny "Solstice" the white & black Lionhead-Mix.
Squirrel was the runner-up in the alternative Vermont newspaper Seven Days' animal photography contest in 2009. He was also featured in a story in the Burlington Free Press newspaper in December 2008. It appears that this gentle giant enjoys being the subject of photos as much as his owner loves taking them! :)
Mmmmm....apple branches! Nom nom nom!
Art for a Cause: Creating with Lyme
In July 2002, while
visiting her CT hometown, she became infected with Lyme Disease. Over 10
years later, Karen continues to battle the chronic form of this
condition. Frequent illness now limits her ability to do the outdoor
activities she loves so dearly. She is hopeful that after treatment
she will be able to return to her former, active, outdoor
lifestyle. More than ever, her photography and paintings bridges the link to the natural world that continues to
inspire and give her hope.
She thanks God for
blessing her with the gift of art, that she may share the natural beauty
He created, hopefully touching hearts around the world with a message
of love for all living things.
Amidst
the challenges of Lyme, Karen succeeded in bringing her artwork out
into a wider audience for the first time, with award-winning photography
entries at the Champlain Valley Fair in 2009 and 2011.
Her work has been juried into group
exhibits at the Winooski Pop-Up Gallery (2011), The Darkroom Gallery
(2012), VSA VT's Engage Exhibit (2012 - 2013) and the 3rd Annual UVM
Alumni Art Exhibit (2013).
Solo / featured artist exhibits include at the Block Gallery &
Coffeehouse (2011) and at the O'Brien Community Center (2013).
Her
photography has also been featured at the Winooski Memorial Library
Gallery (2010), The Firefly Collective (2012) and several times at
Artists' Mediums (2011 - current).
Charity & Community Involvement
Despite her own personal challenges, helping others remains paramount to what she regards as her purpose. Her motto is "changing the world, one smile at a time."
- October 2011: Donated 2 framed photography pieces ("Irises Gazing at Camel's Hump" and "Dragonfly Trio") to the Community Health Centers of Burlington's "Celebrates Vermont" online auction. Karen's art raised over $120 for this organization.
- Holiday 2011: Will donate 5% of all sales to the nonprofit Lyme Disease Association (LDA)
Her community work also includes being an advisory board member to the Winooski Memorial Library, board member of the Westwood Condominium Association and peer volunteer at The Wellness Co-op in Burlington.
In true honey bunny fashion, Squirrel and Solstice love to snuggle (2011)
Nose to Tail in Love! (2011)