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