Lot #75: Vibrant Abstract Acryllic Oil Painting On Canvas Artist Signed Karen Leslie Hall

Karen Leslie Hall has been an artist of one kind or another all of her life. In her childhood she wrote poetry and loved to sing, and at age 10 acquired her first guitar and began writing songs. She became an accomplished guitarist, singer and songwriter, and in 1994 independently released a CD, On the Dream Road, to critical acclaim.Her first forays into the visual arts came when she travelled in Europe after graduating from Queens University. She had never really owned or used a camera before then, and found that she had a knack for taking artsy photographs. This she did on all her subsequent travels, including a six-month solo road trip across North America.When Karen got married and had children, her pursuits in music and photography fell by the wayside, but her creative spirit could not be suppressed. She taught herself to draw using the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards, doing the exercises while the baby napped. She was hooked, and started taking classes and workshops in watercolour, acrylics, and especially pastel. She discovered that she had a natural talent for painting.As her skills improved, Karen started to join art groups and participate in shows. She was soon winning awards in juried shows, and achieved the Master Pastel Artist of Canada designation. Then she became involved with local studio tours and a co-op gallery in downtown Toronto, allowing her to present solo shows.