Three Rivers Community College Art Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Norwich, CT
About
Born in Hartford, I grew up in the New England village of Tariffville, Connecticut, nestled at the foot of the Metacomet Trail in the Farmington River Valley. Nature always offered me expansive views with solace and soon became my closest confidant. Today, my studio is located by a woodland pond in the shoreline town of Clinton, Connecticut. This area is known for inspiring the American Impressionist Art movement with its luminous atmosphere that stretches across the forests, fields, marshes, and shores. This epic natural world that inspires my paintings is just under two hours from Manhattan and Boston.
Born in Hartford, I grew up in the New England village of Tariffville, Connecticut, nestled at the foot of the Metacomet Trail in the Farmington River Valley. Nature always offered me expansive views with solace and soon became my closest confidant. Today, my studio is located by a woodland pond in the shoreline town of Clinton, Connecticut. This area is known for inspiring the American Impressionist Art movement with its luminous atmosphere that stretches across the forests, fields, marshes, and shores. This epic natural world that inspires my paintings is just under two hours from Manhattan and Boston.
Inspiration
For 20 years, painting on the pond’s edge where I live has deepened my understanding of its complex visual ecosystem. Like an old friend, this environment remains my touchstone for art, providing an ever-evolving conversation between nature and my creative process.
In 2008, I began working in a circular format by painting on my grandmother’s wooden bowls, an exploration of curvilinear perspective that reshaped my relationship with space and form. Yet, the bowls soon felt limiting, and I transitioned to painting on kitchen table tops—objects rich with domestic memory. By removing the tabletops from their functional bases and mounting them on the wall, I found liberation from tradition, redefining my work's physical and conceptual boundaries.
The circular paintings offer a sense of immersion, much like the fish-eye view of the pond itself. They reflect my continuous dialogue with nature, memory, perception, and perspective—a meditation on how we experience and frame the world around us.
For 20 years, painting on the pond’s edge where I live has deepened my understanding of its complex visual ecosystem. Like an old friend, this environment remains my touchstone for art, providing an ever-evolving conversation between nature and my creative process.
In 2008, I began working in a circular format by painting on my grandmother’s wooden bowls, an exploration of curvilinear perspective that reshaped my relationship with space and form. Yet, the bowls soon felt limiting, and I transitioned to painting on kitchen table tops—objects rich with domestic memory. By removing the tabletops from their functional bases and mounting them on the wall, I found liberation from tradition, redefining my work's physical and conceptual boundaries.
The circular paintings offer a sense of immersion, much like the fish-eye view of the pond itself. They reflect my continuous dialogue with nature, memory, perception, and perspective—a meditation on how we experience and frame the world around us.
My Story
My artistic story began the first time I laid eyes on an original oil painting in my next door neighbor's dining room. Amidst the plain white walls, a canvas adorned with expressive, messy green paint hung, captivating my imagination with its American Impressionist charm. As a small child, my feet dangled off the chair, my friend and I nibbled snacks, enchanted by the painting that seemed to breathe with life, transporting us to magical realms.
Years later, my childhood fascination with art led me on a journey of artistic discovery. I then learned that the painting was crafted by Charles Harold Davis, the visionary behind the Mystic Connecticut Impressionist Artist Colony, a pioneer in shaping the American Impressionist art movement. This revelation marked a transition from my childhood wonder to a deeper appreciation for the artistic traditions that would influence my own creative path.
Attending the Fine Arts School at Lyme Academy, nestled near the site of America's first Impressionist artist colony, the Florence Griswold Museum, further fueled my passion for landscape painting and artistic exploration. Founded by Florence Griswold herself, the Old Lyme Art Colony stood as a testament to this important history of American art, inspiring me to delve deeper into my artistic endeavors and heritage of where I grew up.
In 2023, I received the honor of contributing a painting to the permanent collection of the Florence Griswold Museum, a full-circle moment in my ongoing artistic journey. This invitation not only validated my dedication to capturing the grandeur of nature but also reaffirmed my connection to the rich tapestry of American art history.
As I continue to paint, each brushstroke serves as a testament to the transformative power of art, bridging past inspirations with contemporary vision. Yet, amidst the breathtaking landscapes I depict, there's an underlying awareness of the changes posed by the climate. The profound environmental grandeur I strive to capture is increasingly at risk. Through my art, I aim not only to celebrate the spirit of the natural world but also to raise awareness about the pressing need for conservation and sustainable practices. Each painting becomes a call to action, urging viewers to cherish and protect our ecosystems for future generations. Leading me to paint in historical New England locations such as Old Lyme, CT, North Shore, MA, and Monhegan Island, Maine.
My artistic story began the first time I laid eyes on an original oil painting in my next door neighbor's dining room. Amidst the plain white walls, a canvas adorned with expressive, messy green paint hung, captivating my imagination with its American Impressionist charm. As a small child, my feet dangled off the chair, my friend and I nibbled snacks, enchanted by the painting that seemed to breathe with life, transporting us to magical realms.
Years later, my childhood fascination with art led me on a journey of artistic discovery. I then learned that the painting was crafted by Charles Harold Davis, the visionary behind the Mystic Connecticut Impressionist Artist Colony, a pioneer in shaping the American Impressionist art movement. This revelation marked a transition from my childhood wonder to a deeper appreciation for the artistic traditions that would influence my own creative path.
Attending the Fine Arts School at Lyme Academy, nestled near the site of America's first Impressionist artist colony, the Florence Griswold Museum, further fueled my passion for landscape painting and artistic exploration. Founded by Florence Griswold herself, the Old Lyme Art Colony stood as a testament to this important history of American art, inspiring me to delve deeper into my artistic endeavors and heritage of where I grew up.
In 2023, I received the honor of contributing a painting to the permanent collection of the Florence Griswold Museum, a full-circle moment in my ongoing artistic journey. This invitation not only validated my dedication to capturing the grandeur of nature but also reaffirmed my connection to the rich tapestry of American art history.
As I continue to paint, each brushstroke serves as a testament to the transformative power of art, bridging past inspirations with contemporary vision. Yet, amidst the breathtaking landscapes I depict, there's an underlying awareness of the changes posed by the climate. The profound environmental grandeur I strive to capture is increasingly at risk. Through my art, I aim not only to celebrate the spirit of the natural world but also to raise awareness about the pressing need for conservation and sustainable practices. Each painting becomes a call to action, urging viewers to cherish and protect our ecosystems for future generations. Leading me to paint in historical New England locations such as Old Lyme, CT, North Shore, MA, and Monhegan Island, Maine.
Karen Bartone | Curriculum Vitae
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024 Painting, Six Summit Gallery at Chamard Vineyard, 15 paintings, Clinton CT
Paintings, Harstans Jewlers, large painting installation, Guilford, CT
2023 Paintings, Clinton Art Gallery, Visiting Artist, Clinton, CT
2022 Paintings, CAS Exhibition Winner, juror Florence Griswold Museum Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing, Clinton, CT
2019 Paintings, Three Rivers Gallery at Three Rivers Community College, Pondering Series, Norwich, CT
2014 Paintings, Connecticut Hospice, Art Space, Shoreline Art Alliance, CCCT, Branford, CT
Paintings, Niche Gallery, Tondo Art, Middlesex Community College (MxCC), Middletown, CT
Paintings, Shoreline Art Alliance, CT Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCCT), Tondi, Guilford, CT
2013 Paintings, Kellogg Environmental Center and Osborne Homestead Museum, Derby, CT*
2012 Paintings, Erector Square, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
2011 Installation, Vermont Studio Center, Open Studios, Johnson, VT
Paintings, Alternate Space, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
2009 Painting, WCSU Student Center, Wind Power, WCSU, Danbury, CT*
Paintings, two-person exhibition, WCSU Dean of Visual Arts, Danbury, CT*
2008 Painting, WCSU Student Center, Wind Power, WCSU, Danbury, CT*
Painting, the Jane Goodall Institution, Focus the Nation, WCSU, Danbury, CT*
2007 Painting, Seaport World Trade Center, Aesthetics of Wind Power, Boston, MA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Flo Gris Museum, Invitation Gardens Aglow lantern painting fund raiser, Old Lyme CT
Boston Art Inc., Boston Seaport Design District, Boston, MA
Six Summit Gallery at Chamard Vineyard, 15 paintings, Clinton CT
Harte's Home, regional New England artists featured, Auburn, MA
David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Show, online, davidlussiergallery.com
Norwich Art Center, Associate Member, Grand Reopening Exhibition, Norwich, CT
Clinton Art Gallery, Guest Artist, Clinton, CT
2023 David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Holiday Show, in Kittery, Maine
Florence Griswold Museum, 10 new artist invited to the holiday exhibit, Nov/Dec 2023
Clinton Art Gallery, Visiting Artist, Clinton, CT
Clinton Art Society, Elected Artist Member show, Clinton, CT
David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Show, online, davidlussiergallery.com
2022 David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Holiday Show, in Kittery, Maine
Clinton Art Society, Clinton, CT, Juror Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing, 1st & 2nd prize
2021 Three Rivers Community College, Art Faculty Exhibition, Norwich, CT
2020 Eastern Connecticut State University, The Art Gallery, Faculty Exhibition, Willimantic, CT
2019 Three Rivers Community College, Art Faculty Exhibition, Norwich, CT
2018 Stillman Gallery, LACFA Alumni Show, Old Lyme, CT, The Cooley Gallery**
2017 LACFA, Metamorphosis, Lyme Alumni, Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT, Susanna Coffey**
2016 Guilford Art Center, Faculty Exhibition, Mill Gallery, Guilford, CT
2015 LACFA Alumni Exhibition, Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT**
Guilford Art Center, Faculty Exhibition 2015, Mill Gallery, Guilford, CT
Western Connecticut State University, Looking Forward, Higgins Gallery, Danbury, CT
2014 AKUS Gallery Eastern Connecticut State University, Faculty Exhibition, Willimantic, CT
EBK Gallery, Tondo Art, Hartford, CT
Cooley Gallery, All Paintings Great and Small, Old Lyme, CT
Silvermine Art Center, Faculty Exhibition, New Canaan, CT
2013 Cooley Gallery, All Paintings Great and Small, Old Lyme, CT*
Silvermine, Faculty Exhibition, Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT
CT Art List Exhibit, Six Emerging Artists, EBK Gallery, West Hartford, CT*
LACFA Alumni Exhibition, Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT**
Gallery One at the Guilford Art Center, guest artist, Guilford, CT*,
Connecticut Women Artists Member’s Show, “UN CUT”, ArtSpace, Hartford, CT
2012 Connecticut Women Artists, Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT, Cathy Malloy**
Select Collections
2023 Florence Griswold Museum, invitation for painted palette collection, Old Lyme, CT
2019 Three Rivers Community College, Norwich, CT
2014 Eastern Connecticut State University Foundation, Willimantic, CT
2009 Western Connecticut State University, Foundation, Danbury, CT
2007 North East Sustainable Energy Association, Boston, MA
Education
MFA 2009 Painting Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), Danbury, CT
BFA 2007 Painting Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, (LACFA), Old Lyme, CT
Concentration in Illustration, Sculpture and Art History
Academic Appointments - Online and Traditional Classroom (TRAD)
2018-present, Lecturer Visual Arts, Three Rivers Community College, Norwich, CT, Global Art History I and II, History of Women in the Arts, 2D Design, and Studio Art Introduction, (Online and TRAD)
2010-present, Lecturer Visual Arts, Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), Willimantic, CT, Drawing I, 2D Design, Color Theory, Studio Art Introduction and Expression with Color Media, (Online and TRAD)
2011-18 Mentoring Program, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Old Lyme, CT, BFA Painting Students
2008-09 Teaching Assistant, Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT, Drawing I and Painting I
Professional Development Awards and Honors
ECSU 2024 AAUP Professional Development Grant, painting research on Monhegan Island, Maine
TRCC 2024 CSCU Professional Development Grant, painting research Gloucester & Rockport, MA
TRCC 2023 CSCU Professional Development Grant, painting research on Monhegan Island, Maine
TRCC 2022 CSCU Professional Development Grant, David Lussier, painting workshop, Ogunquit, Maine
Certificated 2023 CSCU Spring, iTeach Online, Connecticut State Colleges, Best Practice of Online Pedagogy
Certificated 2017 GOLDEN Artist Educator - Golden Artist Color, Inc. Kevin Greeland & Patti Brady
ECSU 2016 AAUP Professional Development Grant for Artist Residency in Paris, France
ECSU 2012 AAUP Travel Grant for postgraduate research with Hugh O’Donnell, Boston, MA
CV Updated September 1, 2024
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024 Painting, Six Summit Gallery at Chamard Vineyard, 15 paintings, Clinton CT
Paintings, Harstans Jewlers, large painting installation, Guilford, CT
2023 Paintings, Clinton Art Gallery, Visiting Artist, Clinton, CT
2022 Paintings, CAS Exhibition Winner, juror Florence Griswold Museum Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing, Clinton, CT
2019 Paintings, Three Rivers Gallery at Three Rivers Community College, Pondering Series, Norwich, CT
2014 Paintings, Connecticut Hospice, Art Space, Shoreline Art Alliance, CCCT, Branford, CT
Paintings, Niche Gallery, Tondo Art, Middlesex Community College (MxCC), Middletown, CT
Paintings, Shoreline Art Alliance, CT Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCCT), Tondi, Guilford, CT
2013 Paintings, Kellogg Environmental Center and Osborne Homestead Museum, Derby, CT*
2012 Paintings, Erector Square, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
2011 Installation, Vermont Studio Center, Open Studios, Johnson, VT
Paintings, Alternate Space, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
2009 Painting, WCSU Student Center, Wind Power, WCSU, Danbury, CT*
Paintings, two-person exhibition, WCSU Dean of Visual Arts, Danbury, CT*
2008 Painting, WCSU Student Center, Wind Power, WCSU, Danbury, CT*
Painting, the Jane Goodall Institution, Focus the Nation, WCSU, Danbury, CT*
2007 Painting, Seaport World Trade Center, Aesthetics of Wind Power, Boston, MA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Flo Gris Museum, Invitation Gardens Aglow lantern painting fund raiser, Old Lyme CT
Boston Art Inc., Boston Seaport Design District, Boston, MA
Six Summit Gallery at Chamard Vineyard, 15 paintings, Clinton CT
Harte's Home, regional New England artists featured, Auburn, MA
David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Show, online, davidlussiergallery.com
Norwich Art Center, Associate Member, Grand Reopening Exhibition, Norwich, CT
Clinton Art Gallery, Guest Artist, Clinton, CT
2023 David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Holiday Show, in Kittery, Maine
Florence Griswold Museum, 10 new artist invited to the holiday exhibit, Nov/Dec 2023
Clinton Art Gallery, Visiting Artist, Clinton, CT
Clinton Art Society, Elected Artist Member show, Clinton, CT
David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Show, online, davidlussiergallery.com
2022 David Lussier Gallery, Invitation, Small Works Holiday Show, in Kittery, Maine
Clinton Art Society, Clinton, CT, Juror Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing, 1st & 2nd prize
2021 Three Rivers Community College, Art Faculty Exhibition, Norwich, CT
2020 Eastern Connecticut State University, The Art Gallery, Faculty Exhibition, Willimantic, CT
2019 Three Rivers Community College, Art Faculty Exhibition, Norwich, CT
2018 Stillman Gallery, LACFA Alumni Show, Old Lyme, CT, The Cooley Gallery**
2017 LACFA, Metamorphosis, Lyme Alumni, Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT, Susanna Coffey**
2016 Guilford Art Center, Faculty Exhibition, Mill Gallery, Guilford, CT
2015 LACFA Alumni Exhibition, Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT**
Guilford Art Center, Faculty Exhibition 2015, Mill Gallery, Guilford, CT
Western Connecticut State University, Looking Forward, Higgins Gallery, Danbury, CT
2014 AKUS Gallery Eastern Connecticut State University, Faculty Exhibition, Willimantic, CT
EBK Gallery, Tondo Art, Hartford, CT
Cooley Gallery, All Paintings Great and Small, Old Lyme, CT
Silvermine Art Center, Faculty Exhibition, New Canaan, CT
2013 Cooley Gallery, All Paintings Great and Small, Old Lyme, CT*
Silvermine, Faculty Exhibition, Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT
CT Art List Exhibit, Six Emerging Artists, EBK Gallery, West Hartford, CT*
LACFA Alumni Exhibition, Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT**
Gallery One at the Guilford Art Center, guest artist, Guilford, CT*,
Connecticut Women Artists Member’s Show, “UN CUT”, ArtSpace, Hartford, CT
2012 Connecticut Women Artists, Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT, Cathy Malloy**
Select Collections
2023 Florence Griswold Museum, invitation for painted palette collection, Old Lyme, CT
2019 Three Rivers Community College, Norwich, CT
2014 Eastern Connecticut State University Foundation, Willimantic, CT
2009 Western Connecticut State University, Foundation, Danbury, CT
2007 North East Sustainable Energy Association, Boston, MA
Education
MFA 2009 Painting Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), Danbury, CT
BFA 2007 Painting Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, (LACFA), Old Lyme, CT
Concentration in Illustration, Sculpture and Art History
Academic Appointments - Online and Traditional Classroom (TRAD)
2018-present, Lecturer Visual Arts, Three Rivers Community College, Norwich, CT, Global Art History I and II, History of Women in the Arts, 2D Design, and Studio Art Introduction, (Online and TRAD)
2010-present, Lecturer Visual Arts, Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), Willimantic, CT, Drawing I, 2D Design, Color Theory, Studio Art Introduction and Expression with Color Media, (Online and TRAD)
2011-18 Mentoring Program, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Old Lyme, CT, BFA Painting Students
2008-09 Teaching Assistant, Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT, Drawing I and Painting I
Professional Development Awards and Honors
ECSU 2024 AAUP Professional Development Grant, painting research on Monhegan Island, Maine
TRCC 2024 CSCU Professional Development Grant, painting research Gloucester & Rockport, MA
TRCC 2023 CSCU Professional Development Grant, painting research on Monhegan Island, Maine
TRCC 2022 CSCU Professional Development Grant, David Lussier, painting workshop, Ogunquit, Maine
Certificated 2023 CSCU Spring, iTeach Online, Connecticut State Colleges, Best Practice of Online Pedagogy
Certificated 2017 GOLDEN Artist Educator - Golden Artist Color, Inc. Kevin Greeland & Patti Brady
ECSU 2016 AAUP Professional Development Grant for Artist Residency in Paris, France
ECSU 2012 AAUP Travel Grant for postgraduate research with Hugh O’Donnell, Boston, MA
CV Updated September 1, 2024