Bio
My name is Karen Stanton and I am a children’s book author/illustrator, teacher and artist who started out as an architect. I have a Master’s degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley where I studied under Christopher Alexander (A Pattern Language). A few years (and a few kids) later, I found that I was much happier applying the principles I had learned in my formal education to the design of smaller things that I could make myself, like paintings, illustrated books and art. No education is ever wasted.
Me visiting an ancient school in Marrakech, Morocco.
I have three traditionally published children’s books, and I have taught visual design/art in a public elementary school and for many years taught Writing and Illustrating Books for Children at City College San Francisco. Right now my husband, son and I are remodeling an old apartment building in Valencia, Spain that was built in the year 1849.
My art is multimedia. I use acrylic paint, gouache, India ink, watercolor, Caran D’ache wax pastels, colored pencil, wood, fabric and my favorite part of art making, collage. Since we live part time in Spain, we have done a lot of traveling in Europe and other parts of the world. Wherever I go, I collect paper and textile scraps: a book on the game Go I found in a box on the street in Tokyo, Japan, old notebooks and journals from Paris and Spain, gorgeous scraps of silk from the gowns of Falleras in Valencia, Spain, a vintage (and water damaged) “Bobbsey Twins” book I found at a garage sale in Florida, newspapers from Marrakesh and 1945 Spain, a math book from Athens, Greece and of course paper I have come across in my hometown of Oakland, California.
I just finished a cool public art project for the new Hall of Justice in Alameda County where I live. And working on several children's book projects. When I'm not working or teaching in my studio, I am at the dog park with Javier my Jack Russell Terrier or at the gym. If you know of a gym that allows dogs to work out too, please let me know.
I make and teach art for the fun of it. Enjoy.
