Karen Neu Wideman
Painter
“As an artist, I explore the interplay of light and shadow, embracing the balance between the random and the refined. With a limited palette, I create vibrant and harmonious colours through loose gestures and bold brushstrokes. My art reflects my familial heritage and deep connection to my native land as a third-generation painter and first-generation Canadian.
Using mainly acrylic paint, I bring my expressive visions to life, infusing each stroke with intention and emotion. By painting on wood panels, I establish a stronger connection to the natural world, enhancing the tactile quality and rootedness in the landscapes I depict.
Through my art, I seek to inspire hope and evoke peace in a struggling world. My creative journey involves exploration, vibrant colours, and emotional expression. The influences of my personal explorations across my homeland of Canada shape the narratives and themes that emerge in my art. When I step up to the canvas, I embrace a sense of playfulness and surrender, allowing myself to let go and invite the Holy Spirit to guide my creative process.
Overall, my artistic process revolves around the vibrant colours from a limited palette and a deep connection to my heritage and homeland. Through my art, I aim to inspire viewers and evoke a sense of hope and peace within the layers of my art.”
A third generation artist, Karen’s passion for art began at a young age, with her artistic talents coming naturally from her grandfather who painted beautiful scenes in oils or watercolour of his homeland in Hungary. Mainly self taught, painting in acrylics became Karen’s first preference, with landscapes being her common focus due to a love for the natural settings of God’s design. She currently loves to use a limited vibrant palette with a variety of brush strokes depicting a contemporary style. Karen believes you can never stop learning and growing and continues this by being regularly mentored by a few prominent artists.
Beyond her personal artistic pursuits, Karen finds joy in inspiring young artists. She facilitates art classes and camps in her home studio in Port Perry, Ontario, with the aim of igniting the creative spark in the next generation of artists. Karen draws inspiration from various sources, ranging from the landscapes she encounters during her journeys to the works of master artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, Tom Thompson, and the artists of the Group of Seven. However, her greatest inspiration comes from her belief in God as the Master Creator.
