Kaki
Karen M. Kaplan, MA, NCC, LMHC, ATR
187 Woodward Street Waban, MA 02468
617-966-6541
Karen Kaplan (Kaki) paints with oils, pastels and watercolors following the feel and the flow of her brush and strokes to bring various elements together to create 2-D and 3-D works of art. Contrasting and blending textures, objects found in nature, articles left behind are also sources of inspiration in creating her mixed media paintings. This artist’s passion for the outdoors is a major theme in her work. The fields of Ipswich, the shoreline and ocean views of the North Shore or an abstraction of nature’s natural gifts are what inspire her art. Karen believes art should be seen and felt, just as nature is experienced, so in her collection of work you will find land and seascapes painted over built up layers of board or paper, tiny brass and copper washers sprinkled over scrubbed-in pigment, cut or torn paper images dotting the washes of a sky or sea, granules of sand scattered finely or broadly over waxed paper, colored twine wound through the smooth waves of paint folded onto the canvas with a palette knife.
As an art therapist, Karen uses various art media to help those in need. She often combines poetry, painting, fabric art and clay vessels as a means of helping women and children explore new ways in which to cope in the world. As an artist, Karen has been painting and exhibiting her work since she was a child. She initially studied fashion design, and received a degree while in Atlanta, GA. After years in the garment industry, she returned to college to study fine art more fully and earned a degree in fine art and psychology from Meredith College and a Masters Degree in Expressive Art Therapy from Lesley University.
Karen Ward - Kaplan has been honored many times in her career. In 2007, her painting “Wild Roses” was selected for permanent installation at the Latin American Health Institute, and this year the Ethos Summer House a home for frail but active elderly in Boston has selected “North Carolina Red Clay” for their collection. This artist shows her work in and around Boston and the North Shore. Her work is on display at The Gifted Hand, Wellesley, MA, Cambridge Artist Cooperative, Cambridge, MA, Artitudes and Limited Editions in Newton, MA. She has been a part of Newton Open Studios, Celebrate Newton and the Brookline Showcase this season and is a continuing member of the Concord and Newton Art Association. In the recent past, Karen led the art program for the Shabbat Children’s Services at Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley, MA., taught creative classes at local elementary schools, facilitated groups on Understanding Our Differences and donated her time and work to support and raise funds for various local and country-wide Non-Profit Organizations. Karen teaches at the New Art Center, Newton, MA; she lives and paints in Newton and Rockport, MA.