Karen Stockwell

In fourth grade, my teacher told my mother I had a good sense of color. I wanted to be a writer, but my mother signed me up for private art lessons with a local artist. My skills improved and I later became an art major in college. My education consists of a B.A. in Art Education from Western Illinois University and a M.A. In Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I’ve taken many non-credit classes in 2D art and fiber arts. In the 1970s to mid-1980s, I showed my drawings in Chicago area art fairs and galleries. After that, I wrote poetry and songs and performed in open mics. I self-published two novels and a collection of poetry in the 2000s that are available locally as well as on Amazon. In the 2000s I began dyeing silk scarves and other clothing. In 2025 I went back to drawing in preparation for an artist residency in Orvieto, Italy. Thanks to that experience, I’ve been drawing ever since. Mainly I work in a naturalistic, detailed style with colored pencils. But I also dabble in mixed media. My subjects are often based on photos I’ve taken on travels, including trips to Italy and New Orleans. But I also do still lifes using what I find at home or in the garden. Occasionally I do portraits based on photos I find in magazines or catalogs. I continue to dye fabric, using a variety of techniques that include ice dyeing and shibori with commercial and natural dyes. My work can be seen at Hello Galena!, Sievers School of Fiber Arts in Washington, WI (summer and fall), and the Galena Center for the Arts.