KAREN LA DU
• Teaching • Text • Image • 1981 through 2018 •

karen_home

My journey has always been a creative one in the studio as well as in daily life. Art is not just the act of making images come alive, but the never-ending quest for beauty in the mundane; the desire to elevate the quotidienne* to a higher aesthetic. I’ve had many inspiring teachers in the classroom and the home. Embroidering, painting and decorating with Nana, sewing, baking and play dough making with Mom, silk screening, wood working, and drawing floor plans with Dad. These powerful hands on learning experiences taught me perseverance, attention to detail, the pleasure of an aesthetically pleasing environment and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Childhood summers were spent at our family summer home built by my maternal grandparents, on a beautiful barrier island. Awash with cousins, friends, sun, storms, shells, sea glass, gulls, fishes, boats, sandcastles and lots of love. Later I lived there alone, enjoying walks on the beach with Mimser. My only child grew up there with Mom and Me, sharing our memories, creating new ones together and making her own. Our home was sold on March 8, 2019. It was time for a new start. These memories flood my work.

• I am now a permanent resident of Washington, DC.

• I accepted the position as Lead Art Teacher for Horizons, DC beginning June 2019 https://www.horizonsgreaterwashington.org/

• I’m seeking gallery representation, exhibit space and commissions in the DC area.

KarenLaDu.com is an autobiographical electronic catalog of my creativity; my story in text and visuals. It presents the evolution of my process as I continue my journey.