Karen Logan

Karen Logan Biography

I earned my advanced honours certificate in Visual Arts from Mohawk College and although I work in various media including chalk pastel, watercolour, coloured pencil, graphite and acrylic, I most enjoy painting using Chinese Brush Painting techniques. I have shown my work in exhibitions throughout the GTHA and in China where a number of my pieces remain in private and public collections. 

My background as a mechanical draftsperson and technical illustrator required precise, clean and uncluttered work. This (un)fortunately has had a huge impact on how I paint as I strive for precision and perfection in each piece. However, nature is never perfect so I am learning to accept the flaws and just enjoy the process. 

My work with environmental organizations and love of nature are my biggest influences when choosing subjects. Living in Hamilton my entire life I know there is an important story here that can be told through my art. Geographically Hamilton is located at the northern most part of the Carolinian Forest and as a result is home to more species than probably anywhere else in Canada. The escarpment that surrounds the lower city helps to further protect – and enhance the extensive biodiversity that it houses. Our changing climate is threatening this wonderful piece of nature and more and more of these species are being pushed out. 

As a young child I loved to hike and explore the woods near my home – always seeking to find the next unique plant, insect, bird or amphibian. These adventures influenced my appreciation for the abundance of life around me and helped make me aware of the fragile beauty of the ecosystem that exists in Hamilton. 

Life is so busy now we often don’t see what is in the world around us and we take those native species for granted. My goal with this project is to highlight the variety of native species found in the Hamilton area specifically and Ontario in general. This series of art work shares both the beauty and diversity of nature that (when we look) we all have – right in our own back yards and provides me the opportunity to add my voice to the growing concerns around climate change and the risks to our natural environment.