September Creator of the Month: Karen Colville

Born and raised in rural Ontario, Karen Colville’s teenage years were filled with painting scenes of rural life—barns, cottages, and horses—and sketching animals at the local zoo. Her early passion for art was nurtured by her family's appreciation for creativity and nature. At age four, she came across her mother’s old paint supplies in her grandmother's barn, igniting a connection to the artistic process. With encouragement from her grandmother, she spent many childhood hours sketching whilst also visiting the local library to read artistic books.

By age 13, Karen was taking private art lessons with an artist whom her father also commissioned to paint their family barn. Her love for art grew through family trips in Northern Ontario where she was exposed to the natural landscape combined with her father’s love for nature and wildlife as well as her parents' collection of Canadian art, including works by Robert Bateman, sculptures, and First Nations art. After visiting the Royal Ontario Museum, where she saw Emily Carr’s original works, Karen dreamed of moving to British Columbia to witness the massive trees and create in Carr’s tradition. Alex Colville being a distant relative, she felt a strong connection to the Canadian art tradition, which she sees as her legacy, despite the many challenges she has faced.

Karen’s appreciation with art matured in high school but it was not until she attended OCAD University in Toronto that she had the opportunity to seriously explore her craft with professional materials, becoming familiar with every art supplier in the area. A trip to Eruope further expanded her already vast passion for the arts as she got the chance to study masterpieces firsthand in renowned museums. Interestingly, Karen also delved into other forms of creative expression. She has also delved into singing, being part of a choir in her childhood and recording music in her late twenties. 

Although Karen never expected to become an artist living with disability, her journey reflects the growing inclusivity in society. Her own family’s efforts to support artists with disabilities such as purchasing card sets, instilled a sense of empathy and inclusion in her work and life. Inspired by Karen, her sister pursued a career in art therapy. 

A defining moment came by 13 years ago when Karen decided to move to British Columbia for a healing retreat as well as access to G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre. Here she found a strong support group of individuals with brain and spinal cord injuries.  Although she was close to giving up art at this time in her life, her involvement as an artist-in-residence on the North Shore along with the volunteer work she undertook with a nonprofit enabled her to reignite her passion for the arts. Karen’s work began to sell and her involvement in disability arts in Vancouver helped find a renewed sense of community and purpose. 

Today, Karen is exploring new creative avenues in disability art such as learning about fiber and tactile arts. Despite her disability and life’s many challenges, she still ensures that there is time for creativity. Recently, Karen has also rekindled her passion for music by returning to songwriting and utilizing her music to accompany her visual art. Furthermore, music is allowing her to create accessible art descriptions for the visually impaired. 

For Karen, art has and continues to be a cornerstone in her life, providing calm and peace. To her, art is more than just a technique. It is a tool for healing and personal growth; having helped her cope with personal health challenges. Karen remains grateful for the ability to create and bring joy to others through her work. 

“Enjoy what you are doing as everything in art is a process, so be creative and be patient.”