In her latest demo, Karen shared her journey from "tight" detailed work to expressive, loose pastels. She discovered that setting a time limit—first 30 minutes, then 15—helped her focus on the essence of her subjects, making her paintings come alive with organic mark-making.

Key takeaways:

Time limits: Shorten your painting time so you're less likely to fuss with unnecessary details.

Composition: Use strategies like the 'rule of thirds' and harmonic armature to draw the viewer into the reason for your painting. Ask: What's my "eye magnet"?

Instinct : Trust your gut and identify focal points using the "King, Queen, Bishop" method (an analogy for a hierarchy of focal points within a work).

Play with light: Focus on the effects of light, not objects.

Karen's tools include black foam backing boards mounted with Canson Mi Teintes Velvet paper, ideal for working loose. With quick marks and vivid colors, she brings landscapes to life in mere minutes, proving that less can be more.