Luxe Beat Magazine OCTOBER 2014 | Page 81

Art K aren Yee lives in El Segundo, California with her husband and two daughters. She was born into an artistic environment and throughout her life her modes of creative expression have taken many different forms. She is a prolific and versatile painter in the style of Contemporary Realism. She paints people in their indigenous apparel and natural environment with awe-inspiring accuracy and an air of mystery. Her range of subjects is impressive and includes those in the realms of Judaica, Asia, and Music. She has even created a series of Pirate paintings. In addition to her figurative paintings Karen Yee has added a delectable series of still life to her outstanding repertoire. However, it is painting people that preoccupies the artist’s current creative imagination. What is so remarkable about her art is her masterful ability to capture the emotion, character and personality of her subjects. With technical prowess she depicts every detail and nuance of light, shadow, and texture. Each subject is celebrated as a unique individual worthy of our attention and each series as a whole reveals a compelling story. For example, her iconic painting Chinese Bride, from her “Asian Influenced Paintings” series, is an exquisite portrayal of a young lady on her wedding day. Her delicate features, modest pose, and the decorative details that adorn her wedding gown evoke the elements of the quintessential classic Chinese culture. The impetus that propelled Karen to explore her long held desire to paint may surprise you. It occurred after her cataclysmic event dealing with and surviving cancer in 2003. She was motivated to communicate an important message through painting. One example, her self-portrait painting “Fight Like A Girl”, is a poignant painting that won the First Place Cash Award in the Manhattan Arts International “Celebrate The Healing Power of Art” 2014 juried competition. The juror was Lilly Wei, leading New York based international curator and art critic for Art in America and ARTnews magazines, among others. In this competition Karen also won a Manhattan Arts International Featured Artist Award. When asked about the painting “Fight Like A Girl” the artist explains, “I was determined to battle the cancer and kick it to the curb. I wanted to portray that emotion in a self-portrait. Others have responded to the image positively, telling me it has inspired