Karen Olsen-Dunn

Karen Olsen-Dunn has a formal education in psychology, painting/drawing, and digital media, with postgraduate coursework in printmaking. She received her MFA from the California College of the Arts in 2007 and her BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University in 1988. Her work has been showcased in numerous exhibitions and art fairs across local and national venues.

Five of her pieces were acquired for the Sutter Pacific Hospital collection in San Francisco. Her painting "Mendo Fences" was featured in the deYoung Museum Open 2023, while "Erosion 5" was selected as the cover and promotional image for San Francisco’s 2023 Open Studios. Most recently, her painting "Erosion (Shifting Realities)" was chosen for the MarinMOCA 2024 Northern California Open.

Drawing from her career in the software industry, Olsen-Dunn's experience enhances her process of creating intricate, layered works. Her paintings, prints, and installations are refined with patterns of organic and inorganic forms. Using layers of acrylic paint and archival photographic transfers on birch panels, she builds up complex layers that leave the viewer wondering what is painted and what is digital.

LOCATIONS:
San Francisco, CA; Sonoma, CA

Karen Olsen-Dunn - Additional Details

STATEMENT
Broken imagery, a high-key palette, and lines swiped across paintings and prints symbolize the effects of climate change that erode the landscape, warm our waters and cause catastrophic weather events. The unrealistic colors in my work appear as a new form of apocalyptic beauty but foreshadow an ominous future.

LOCATION

  • Born Kingston, Ontario, Canada
  • Works in San Francisco and Sonoma
EDUCATION
  • 2007 MFA Painting and Drawing, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA.
  • 1988 BA Experimental Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
  • 2024 Coastland Hereafter, Magic Shop Studio Gallery, Petaluma, CA.
  • 2018 Solo Exhibition, curated by Cathy Baum, Gallery, One Post Street, San Francisco, CA
  • 2018 Color Magic, curated by Cathy Baum, Gallery, 45 Fremont, San Francisco, CA
  • 2017 Fall into Color, The Gatehouse, Culinary Institute of America, curated by Nancy Willis, St. Helena, CA
  • 2017 Hybrid Forms, 201 California Street, curated by William Torphy, San Francisco, CA. (March 4-April 29)
  • 2017 Zaza, 543 2nd Street, curated by Marci Brand, San Francisco, CA. (February 14-April 7)
  • 2013 Quiet, Tasteful, Not Too Busy, No Political Content: Works on Paper, Andalu, San Francisco, CA
  • 2011 INSTANT FUTURE: New Work, Andalu, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2010 Hybrids: Paintings and Prints, Andalu, San Francisco, CA.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
  • 2024 MarinMOCA ART FWD and Northern California OPEN, Novato, CA
  • 2024 Lost Wild, Whitney Contemporary, Los Altos, CA
  • 2023 Tiny, Studio Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2023 1st Prize Artspan Open Studios Collateral and Exhibition, SOMARTS Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2023 De Young Museum 2023 Triennial Open Exhibition, San Francisco, CA
  • 2023 6-Women Artists, Studio Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2023 Spanning the Gate Artspan Exhibition, Sausalito Art Center, Sausalito, CA
  • 2023 On the Road Exhibit, Studio Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2022, Tiny, Studio Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2022-23 Kala Artist In Residence Exhibition, Kala Art Institute Gallery, Berkeley, CA
  • 2022 Modern Landscape, Village Art Gallery, Danville, CA
  • 2022 Group Show, Yotel Gallery, Yotel San Francisco, CA
  • 2021 Shift, Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA
  • 2021 Group Exhibit, Bird Dog Arts Gallery, Tejon Ranch, CA
  • 2021 Art Comes Alive, ADC Fine Art, Cincinnati, OH
  • 2020 59th Annual Art in the Redwoods Online Exhibition, Gualala Arts, Gualala, CA
  • 2020 Art in the Time of Corona, Minnesota Street Studios/Pacific Felt Factory Online, San Francisco,CA
  • 2020 Colorplay II, Village Theatre Art Gallery, Danville, CA
  • 2020 Artists Annual Exhibition, Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, CA
  • 2019 Startup Art Fair Juried Exhibition, Hotel Icon, Houston, Texas
  • 2019 Expressions Juried Exhibition, Marin Society of Artists, San Rafael, CA
  • 2019 Print Exhibition, Sweeties Art Bar, San Francisco, CA
  • 2018 Small Works Juried Exhibition, Dogpatch Studio, San Francisco, CA
  • 2018 Off-Site Exhibition: Chandra Cerrito Contemporary, curated by Donna Napper, 1111 Broadway, Oakland, CA
  • 2018 Group Exhibition, curated by Heather Marx Advisory, Zuni Cafe, San Francisco, CA
  • 2017 Serenity: Tranquil Place, UCSF Center of Excellence in Women's Health, San Francisco, CA
  • 2017 Color Play, Danville Theatre and Art Gallery, Danville, CA
  • 2016 99 Problems (But a Print Ain't One), The Southern Gallery, Charleston, SC.
  • 2016 StARTup Art Fair Chicago, Juried Art Fair, Mile North Hotel, Chicago, IL.
  • 2016 Off the Wall, Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA
  • 2016 Group Exhibition curated by Heather Marx Advisory, Zuni Café, San Francisco, CA
  • 2016 SFWA Artists and Les Etudients, San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2016 Startup Art Fair Los Angeles. Juried Exhibition, Highland Gardens Hotel, Hollywood, CA
  • 2016 Color. Juried Exhibition. San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2015 Collective Chemistry, Juried Exhibition, McGuire Office Gallery, Berkeley, CA
  • 2015 Blue, San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2015 D2D, Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA
  • 2015 Sunset Rising, San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
  • 2015 StARTup Art Fair, Juried Exhibition, Hotel Del Sol, San Francisco, CA
  • 2014 Electron Salon. Los Angeles Center for Digital Art. Los Angeles, CA.
  • 2014 Intimate Neighbors, Printstallation. Lumostudios and Gallery. Vermillion, SD.
  • 2010 Art of the Community Group Show. Arts Benicia Gallery, Benicia CA.
  • 2009 5th Annual Snap to Grid Show. Los Angeles Center for Digital Art (LACDA), Los Angeles, CA.
  • 2008 Is it a Fiber Show? Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2007 Plus One. Long Time Collective Group Exhibition. M1 Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2007 Future Tense. Gensler, San Francisco CA.
  • 2007 Cream – From the Top. Curated Graduate Arts Program Exhibit, Arts Benicia Gallery, Benicia, CA.
  • 2007 MFA Thesis Exhibition. California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2007 VCU-CCA Exchange Exhibition. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
  • 2005 Selections Juried Exhibition. Limn Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2004 Exquisite Corpse. California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2004 Balancing Acts. Lola Gallery, Mission Street, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2003 Artspan Gala. SomArts Cultural Center Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2002 Saving Grace. Strong Hearts Strong Bodies Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2002 Artspan Gala. SomArts Cultural Center Gallery, San Francisco, CA.​​​​​​​​​
PUBLICATIONS
​RESIDENCIES
  • Kala Art Institute 2024 Artist-In-Residence Program, Berkeley CA
  • In Cahoots 2024 Artist-In-Residence Program, Petaluma, CA
  • In Cahoots 2023 Artist-In-Residence Program, Petaluma, CA
  • Kala Art Institute 2022-23 Artist-In-Residence Program, Berkeley CA
  • In Cahoots 2022 Artist-In-Residence Program, Petaluma, CA
  • Kala Art Institute 2020 Artist-In-Residence Program, Berkeley CA
AWARDS
  • Award Winner, Art Comes Alive, ADC Fine Art, Cincinnati, OH, 2021
  • 1st Place Oil and Acrylics Painting, 59th Art in the Redwoods, Gualala Arts, 2020