Karen Stene was born, raised and educated in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Having been born into a creative family that includes photographers, opera singers, lecturers and architects, her artistic talent was recognized and encouraged to develop at an early age.

After graduating from University of British Columbia, a career in modeling fueled Karen's love of travel and enabled her to pursue artistic studies at the Emily Carr Art Institute in Vancouver and the Institute d'Allende School of Art in San Miguel, Mexico.

An irrepressible wanderlust transports Karen Stene to the far reaches of the world and her artistic talent carries the viewer along for the journey. "One witnesses an excitement and depth of color when surrounded by a horizon of blue in Thailand, an ocean of silk in India, or a vegetable market in Corsica."

Having traveled the globe on a beautiful self-built sailboat, Karen finds an inner peace on the sea where she is mesmerized by the depth of color, perspective and ever-changing light that inspires sensations which find a home on her lavish canvases.

Taking a landscape from the Spanish coast, columns from a palace in India or a Loggia from an Italian palazzo, the artist combines elements from world travels to create one perfect place. Gold leaf is often added to create a three dimensional quality as the gold pulls light from the outside and plays across the painting to create life and movement allowing the viewer to interact with her world of experiences.

The award winning artwork of Karen Stene has been exhibited and collected around the globe. The artist has been exhibited and collected around the globe. The artist has been honored with numerous solo shows and has affiliations including the Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton Museums of Art, the Palm Beach County Cultural Council, the Federation of Canadian Artists and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.