KAREN KURKA JENSEN
Location:
Iowa City, IA, USA
ARTIST BIO
Karen Kurka Jensen is an accomplished sumi-e artist, portraying her deep connection to nature through mystical, inspirational landscapes and abstract images. Jensen grew up in Minnesota where she was sidetracked from a library career following a traumatic car accident. She went in search of alternative healing after her doctors could not relieve her chronic pain. She met a traditional Chinese healer who not only treated her successfully but introduced her to the Chinese culture and heritage. This “accident” led her down a path of discovery, falling in love with the art of sumi-e. Karen met and began studying with American sumi-e masters, Susan Frame and Susan Christie shortly after they returned from formal studies overseas in China and Japan, where their teachers were Zhuo He-Jun and Lu Yen Shao. Jensen studied with her teachers for over 10 years. They continue to be her mentors, teachers and close friends. Jensen has taken workshops with Cheng Khee Chee, Lok Tok and has continued research studies on her own from renown sumie artists such as Diana Kan and Gao Xingjian.
Jensen has recently returned to the Midwest after a decade in Utah, establishing a successful career in galleries and workshops across the West. She continues to exhibit locally and nationally. Her work is in public and private collections across the country.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist who specializes in sumi-e art, I am deeply passionate about exploring the relationship between art and spirituality. My artwork is a reflection of my innermost thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and is intended to serve as a vehicle for self-expression, meditation, and contemplation. For me, sumi-e is the perfect medium.
Sumi-e, also known as Japanese ink painting, is a traditional art form that is deeply rooted in heart and vision. In my art, I strive to capture the spiritual essence of my subject. Whether I’m painting a landscape or an abstract expression, my goal is to create a piece of art that speaks to the viewer on a deeper level.
Ultimately, my expressive sumi-e works of art are a reflection of my own personal journey. Through my artwork, I seek to explore and express my own thoughts, feelings, and spirituality, while also providing a source of inspiration and reflection for others. Whether viewed as a simple piece of art, or as a vehicle for meditation and contemplation, I hope that my work serves to uplift and inspire all who encounter it.
