Karen is an integral member of the Washington, D.C. photography community wearing three distinct hats over the past twenty years - teacher, administrator, and fine art photographer.  After receiving an M.F.A. in photography in 1986 Karen became director of the creative education program for photography at Glen Echo Park.  In this capacity she teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced adult photography courses, a summer Young Peoples Photography course, designs curriculum, and manages instructors and staff.

Teaching has always been a passion of Karen's and for the past twelve years she has taught in the photography studio at The Field School.  In this small independent high school located in northwest Washington, D.C.  Karen recognizes and fosters the accessible creativity of the young students finding the teaching both challenging and rewarding.

Karen's love of photography stems from the documentary/street photography genre. Using available light, black and white medium format film and two cameras - the Hasselblad and the plastic "toy" Holga - Karen observes the everyday rituals and routines of people in foreign countries.  These "street portraits" are the foundation of her portfolios from Bulgaria, Africa, Honduras, and, most recently, Cuba.  Beginning in February 2000 Cuba has become her current portfolio with each trip peeling away another layer of visual skin.  Just beneath the surface of each foreign portfolio lies Karen's earliest work on the complexity of the mother/daughter relationship.

In addition to the Cuban Millennium Portfolio Karen continues photographing the nation's Capital using infrared film to capture a touch of the surreal in the monuments of D.C.  Personal vision is often established through photographing familiar spaces repeatedly over the years - home, neighborhood, endearing objects and spaces.  The "Close to Home" portfolio is Karen's continuous body of work growing slowly over the years as she explores personal memories and experiences.

Future Gallery Exhibitions
"Cuba-Stopped in Time", June 4-July 1, 2007, opening reception Thurs. June 14, 6:30-8:30pm.

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