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Our living patterns are all affected by the change of seasons, whether our locations are rural or urban. In my work, I've been fascinated with the theme of dining, and how we so enjoy al fresco dining in summer, and move back to dine in more intimate indoor spaces in the fall and winter. My dining series speaks to that shift - from sun-drenched courtyards and patios, to more intimate, indoor spaces.

“Covent Garden Diners” celebrates the height of summer with its glancing sunlight and heat. “Fresh Linens” is set outdoors as well, showing the shift to the comfortable temps of Indian Summer, and the turning of leaves. “Lingering” contrasts brilliantly lit umbrellas with the cool of shadows. “Deux Mademoiselles” shows a rainy early autumn cityscape, with young women carrying an umbrella, passing an indoor/outdoor restaurant. The diners seem oblivious to the rain. “The Glow at the Cafe Flore” gives us a peek into the intimate spaces of the famed restaurant at night, when everything takes on an amber tone.

Artist Statement
Works

About

About

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."

Karen Horne

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Website

Press

Press

2020

  • Fine Art Connoisseur, Today's Masters, A Time for Twosomes, artwork of couples, p.083, image  of "Tango Fire." May/June 2021, p. 083. 

  • Salt Lake Tribune, The Muse Goes Viral, Article and Virtual Gallery, THE MIX, p. D1, April 19 2020, p. D1,2, Image of oil painting, In the Glow of the Eccles Theatre. 

2019

  • Fine Art Connoisseur, Today's Masters, Cooking, Dining and Wining: Ageless Motifs, image of Chef's Station, oil, May/June 2019, p. 066. 

2018

  • Utah Style & Design, StyleFile - ART, Have Talent Will Travel, Summer 2018 p. 48. 

  • Fine Art Connoisseur, Music & Dance, photo essay, image of "New Shoes I", January/Februrary 2018. 

  • Pastel Society of the West Coast Magazine, Winter 2018, Meet the Members: Karen Horne Third Generation Artist and Gallery Owner, pp. 30-33 

2017

  • Salt Lake Magazine, City of Light - Karen Horne PAINTS Salt Lake at night when it shines, by Glen Warchol, March/April 2017 pp. 

2016

  • Deseret News, ARTS p. 1, Feature article, “Shared Enthusiasm” by Whitney Butters Wilde, Sunday, May 10, 2016. 

2015

  • Painters of Grand Teton National Park, Donna and Jim Poulton, Gibbs Smith Publishers, Fall 2015. Color Image of "Perfect Day." 

  • Fibonacci Fine Arts Digest, Resurgence, Fall 2015, Feature Article by Savanna Turk "Feast for the Senses, Artist Karen Horne Fills Up on Culture" pp. 26-29. 

  • Salt Lake Gallery Guide, Spring/Summer 2015, Cover image, “Shadowplay I” 

  • Fibonacci Fine Arts Digest, The Director’s Issue, Winter/Spring 2015, Cover image, “Into the Spotlights”

2014

  • Contact, Karen Horne Interview with Mary Dickson, about Night and Day Exhibition,  Utah Arts Festival, KUED TV, June 2014. 15 BYTES, ezine, Profile: “Karen Horne” by Ehren Clark. Lead article July 2014 

  • City Weekly, Essentials, “Night and Day”, Review by Brian Staker, color image of Liberty  Park Lookout, July 10, 2014.  

  • Salt Lake Tribune, The Mix, “Part of Our Landscape,” Review of Utah Arts Festival and  Night and Day exhibition, with large image of “Evening at the UAF,” Sunday,  June 22, 2014.

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CV

CV

American 


SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

  • 2021: American Impressionist Society, Springville Museum of Art, Springville UT, 97th Annual Spring Salon, juried group show. HORNE Fine Art, SLC, UT, Al Fresco, two-person show. HORNE Fine Art, SLC, UT, Blooms, two person show. Pastel Society of the West Coast, MOOS Online Member Show. 

  • 2020: Mary Williams Fine Art, Pastel Society of Colorado, Mile High National Exhibition,  Boulder, CO, catalogue. Great Lakes Pastel Society, 2020 National Exhibition, online exhibition. Connecticut Pastel Society, Renaissance in Pastel 2020 27th Annual National Exhibition. Springville Museum of Art, Springville UT, 96th Annual Spring Salon, juried group show. HORNE Fine Art, SLC, UT, 2nd Annual, April Showers, May Flowers, two person show Pastel Society of the West Coast, online member show. Sears Dixie Invitational, Dixie State College, St. George, Ut. 

  • 2019: Wasatch Studio Tour, HORNE Fine Art, Studio/Gallery, solo exhibition and studio demos Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA, Pastels USA 2019, juried international show PSWC Alta Club, SLC, UT, Iron Horses, group show curated by Donna Poulton Springville Museum of Art, Springville UT, 95th Annual Spring Salon, juried group show Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, SLC, UT Art of Ballet, invitational three person  show, in conjunction with Ballet West's Choreographic Festival. HORNE Fine Art, SLC, UT April Showers, May Flowers, Group show Rio Gallery, TRANSCONTINENTAL - People, Place, Impact, Group Invitational  sponsored by Utah Division of Arts & Museums and Spike 150 

  • 2018: HORNE Fine Art, SLC, UT, Dine O'Round in Paint II, solo exhibition Zion's Bank Art Show, Zions Bank, (group invitational) Hammond Regional Art Center, Hammond, LA, Degas Pastel Society, 17th Biennial  National Exhibition, juried show. Pastel Society of the Southwest, 37th National Juried Exhibition, Grapevine TX. HORNE Fine Art, 15th Anniversary SPLASH!, SLC, UT (group show) International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS), Annual International Show,  American Art Company, Tacoma, Washington. (group juried). Springville Art Museum, Springville Utah, 94th Annual Spring Salon, juried (image in  catalog) HORNE Fine Art, April Showers, May Flowers, Salt Lake City, UT (group show) Art and Soup, Community Nursing Services Fundraising Event, SLC, UT.

EDUCATION

  • 1984 M.F.A. PAINTING, Indiana University at Bloomington, IN, Full Teaching Fellowship 

  • 1984 Indiana University Study Abroad Program in Florence, Italy 

  • 1981 YALE UNIVERSITY, B.A. cum laude, Distinction in the Art Major 

  • 1980 Yale Summer School of Music and Art at Norfolk, CT, full scholarship 

  • 1979 New York Studio School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture (summer session)

SELECTED MUSEUM, CORPORATE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

  • Utah State Art Collection, Various installations, including the Office of Economic Development, One Utah Center, First Lady's Office, Utah State Capitol. Salt Lake County Art Collection (two works - North Building and Capitol Theatre Lobby) Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, City County Building Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT Fairview Museum, Fairview, UT American Express Corporation Cottonwood Title Corporation Estate of Gerard Cafesian, Chicago, IL Hilton Hotel, Salt Lake City Downtown, Large Triptych and Landscape, 2nd Floor lobby Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Reynolds (former) Parsons, Behle and Lattimer Richard, Brandt, Miller and Nelson Thorpe, North, Western Zion's Bankcorp Diane and Sam Stewart 

SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS AND HONORS

  • 2020 Live Painting Demo, Night of 1,000 Trees, Mayor Erin Mendenhall's inaugural gala, SLC 

  • 2019 Fondation Monet, Special permission for after hours admission and artwork creation in  Monet's Gardens, Giverny 2019 Acquisition, Permanent Collection, Springville Museum of Art, Springville UT. 2019 Elected Signature Member, Pastel Society of the West Coast 2019 Painting Acquisition, Alice Merrill Horne, State of Utah Art Collection, (Spike 150) 

  • 2015 Cover Art, Fibonacci Fine Arts Digest, (regional glossy magazine) 2015 Cover Art, Salt Lake Gallery Stroll, Spring Summer Guide 2015 Cover Art, Ballet West, 60th Anniversary Nutcracker Commemorative Playbill 

  • 2014 Merit Award, 90th Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art 2014 “Best Impressionist Paintings of SLC” Arty Award, Staff Pick, City Weekly 

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