K a r e n    K i e f e r

                                                                  BIO

          When Karen Kiefer was six years old, her hero was Leonardo Da Vinci. She knew very simply and clearly that she would  be an artist this time around. Her mother, intuitive and trusting,  also knew this to be true. She asked a local artist and art educator Daunna Yanoviak  if she might teach her daughter. It was at her private studio in 1971, and well into the 21st century, that Karen was nurtured with the skills and freedom she needed to explore her own imagery and art  and ideas in meaningful ways, deeply shaping her own creative teaching practices and philosophies.

From 1985 to 1989 Karen attended the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington where she earned a multiple BA in Cultural Anthropology, Psychology,and Visual Art.  She credits  Evergreen’s student directed and interdisciplinary approach to education in her own development of a meaningful career as an artist and art educator.  Karen knows that our creativity directed by our  individuality is the cutting edge, where our most prosperous and fun future lay.  There is plenty for all and we only need  the brilliance of  feeling our worthiness to reach out and  take it.  Art expands us! Art is our nature!

Karen returned to Hawaii in 1989 and began teaching art at her mentors studio.  Karen was also the middle school art teacher for Le Jardin Academy, a windward Oahu private school, for 12 years.  Karen has taught with The Honolulu Academy of Arts where she has collaborated with the The Myran B Thompson Academy Charter School’s K-12 art programs, and is a teaching professional with the  Hawaii State Department of Education’s Artists in the Public Schools.

Karen  works collaboratively and extensively with the performing arts community including  both stage and screen. She opened her private production and teaching studio in 2007 and is going strong, exibiting works in Hawaii, California, New York, and has recently  been recognized  by TOSCA as  Hawaii Aritst of 2015.

                

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Jan/29/il/FP701290304.html