Karen Fike

Karen Fike (NY 1969) is a Chicago-based visual artist who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Cum Laude, from the University of Texas, Arlington, with a concentration in theater and scenic art. As an emerging artist, she has made a significant impact on the art scene in 2022 with her acrylic mixed-media paintings focusing primarily on figurative abstractions of women. As an advocate for women’s rights, she depicts female strength, elegance, and the tension between the beauty and chaos of shattered pieces of life that women hold together with grace. She uses materials such as flash glazes and textured mediums to capture these moments in her artwork, creating dynamics in the paintings that take on a life of their own. The elements appear and disappear as the light and angles change, resulting in a “living” piece of art. She aims to create captivating paintings that evoke feelings akin to catching the elusive green flash of a sunset or a lucid dream that shimmers away in the waning moments of sleep-a little shiver.

Fike’s work is featured in several exhibitions, including 116 Gallery in St. Charles, IL, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art’s 6th Annual National Juried Exhibition in Wisconsin, Woman Made Gallery, ArtsyShark Winter Showcase, “live painting” donation for auction at the Planned Parenthood Illinois Winter Fundraiser. 6-foot painted guitar sculpture for Joliet’s READY2ROCK 2023. Curator Deanna Gibson of 116 Gallery stated, “Fike’s unique style and powerful message make her a rising star in the Chicago art scene, and we are excited to see where her career takes her.” Fike is a member of the Evanston Arts Council, the Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists, and the Chicago Artists Coalition. Her growing success and dedication to promoting women’s rights make Karen Fike a notable emerging figure in the art world.

www.karenfikeart.com