KAREN HORNE

Born in New York City, Karen Horne was raised in California and Utah. She was fortunate to grow up in a home where art was both created and collected. She was inspired by her mother, Phyllis F. Horne, a noted landscape painter. Another influence was the collection of her paternal great-grandmother, Alice Merrill Horne, legislator and champion of the arts who fostered the work of outstanding early Utah Artists and authored a bill establishing the first state-funded arts agency in the nation in 1899 (now Utah Division of Arts & Museums).

Karen Horne attended Yale University, first as a premed. A visit to the Metropolitan Museum in NYC inspired her to switch her focus to fine art. She graduated with honors and distinction in the art major. After earning an MFA in Painting at Indiana University, she continued her studies in Florence and Rome. In 1985 Karen moved to NYC where she worked at the noted museum, The Frick Collection, actively painted and exhibited her work, and steeped herself in shows of world class art. After 11 years, missing family and the mountains, she and her husband returned to Salt Lake City in 1996.

Over the years, Karen Horne's artworks have received numerous awards, both nationally and locally. One of her early awards was a top prize for her café painting at the National Academy of Design's Annual Exhibition on Fifth Avenue. Elected to the IAPS Master Circle, her pastels have been featured in the PSA's "Enduring Brilliance" at NYC's National Arts Club, and in IAPS PASTELWORLD in 2024 and 2022. She was elected an "Honored Artist of Utah" by the 2002 Olympiad Committee, and received the Mayor's Visual Artist Award for

her SLC series. Her work has been featured in magazines including Fine Art Connoisseur, Salt Lake Magazine, and Utah Style & Design. Her paintings have been exhibited in major cities, including NYC, Bridgehampton, San Francisco, Atlanta, Tacoma, Boulder, Park City, Salt Lake City, and are held in private collections nationally and as well in Europe. Public collections include State of Utah, Salt Lake County, SLC Mayor's Office, Fairview Museum and Springville Museum of Art. Horne's paintings are also held in numerous corporate collections including American Express, Hilton Hotels, Zions Bank and Morgan Stanley.

Karen Horne’s artwork is noted for its lively color and deft descriptions of people. In New York she depicted the city’s street-life, parks and beaches. Since returning to Utah, she has continued to explore the figure in urban life, and has painted local landmarks as well as scenes from cities including San Francisco, Santa Fe, London, Paris and Rome. Her skill at depicting café, market and restaurant scenes dates back to her study in Italy and exposure to festive outdoor markets and dining. She loves depicting gesture and is devoted to capturing what she sees as the "parade of life."