Karen Halbert: Expanded Biography

Karen at the Marigold Arts Exhibition: Return to the Rivers

Karen Halbert is a full time landscape painter, primarily of the Southwest. She was torn away from careers in mathematics and computers to follow her life-long passion: painting. Though she paints in the Southwest, she also captures the images that permeate her dreams – of the powerful ocean waves of the Pacific, home of her childhood.

Driven by the purity of elements of mathematics, found in areas such as dynamic symmetry and chaos theory, she strives to go far beyond her analytical training. The logic of composition and pattern is second nature to Halbert; she is free to experiment with other aspects that help her capture the underlying beauty of the natural world. Her training in the Classical techniques as well as Impressionism serve her well. She can concentrate on capturing the beauty of the landscape surrounding her.

Driven by the light of the southwest, Halbert made a conscious life-style decision to move to Santa Fe. She also wanted to return to her roots in the west. It is here that she has found a true artist’s home. Halbert displays her work throughout the country from Woodstock to the Old Town in Albuquerque as well as in various She is represented by the Marigold Arts Gallery on Canyon Road, Santa Fe and the Purple Sage Gallery in Albuquerque.  You may also view her works on her website, www.karenhalbert.com.

Halbert is very active in the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM), serving as the volunteer Website Administrator. She worked on a major conversion of the website to a state-of-the-art system using her design and computer skills; the work is recalling the many years she spent managing the development of user systems on Wall Street with the NYSE.

Karen: “My paintings go beyond my analytical training and reflect the depth of nature’s magnificent diversity. The logic of composition, edges, values and pattern is second nature to me. I can concentrate and subject's quality, reaching for deeper meaning and the underlying essence of life. Painting on location, ‘en plein air’, enables this subliminal reaction, resulting in paintings that I wish to share.”

Update Dec 2024. During the pandemic I decided to concentrate on determining ways to combine my two passions of Art and Mathematics. I used this time to develop workshops on Dynamic Symmetry. I was honored to be asked to join the pre-eminent artist of Santa Fe, Albert Handell, in creating dual workshops on Intuitive Composition and Dynamic Symmetry in 2024. Future plans are to held a workshop in 2025 as well.

2024 Group Show at the Karen Wray Gallery:

Plein Air Artists of Colorado Featured Artist Article of October 2015:

PAAC Article – Karen Halbert

Short Bio: 

Karen strives to transform the beauty of mathematics into her art,

utilizing her knowledge of areas such as dynamic symmetry, fractals

and chaos theory. The “hidden harmony” of Karen's work is shown in

her cloud fractals, wave patterns and stream flows as well as cliff

striations and tessellations. Karen grew up in the West, but moved

East as an adult to attend college and pursue a career as a college

professor of mathematics and computer science, and later as a Wall

Street executive. She eventually settled in Woodstock, New York to

fulfill her life-long dream of being an artist, but ultimately was drawn

back West to the artist-rich town of Santa Fe. Karen continues to use

her computer skills as a volunteer Website Administrator for the Plein

Air Painters of New Mexico.

When did you first become interested in art?

As a child, I loved to draw and paint and I won the high school award

for art (I still have the pin in my jewelry chest). I chose another

passion, mathematics, as a more practical career.

Where do you sell your work? ( galleries, festivals,

internet...)

I am represented* by the Purple Sage Gallery in Albuquerque and am

planning a featured artist show in December 2015, titled, "Hidden

Harmony". Two of my paintings will be at the New Mexico Art League

in October in the "Biologique" exhibition. This exhibition features art

inspired by nature with concepts such as the "Golden Mean", Fibonacci

sequence, π (Pi), fractals, and mathematical harmony underlying the

works. My works sell through the gallery and exhibitions sponsored by

PAPNM and PAAC as well as through my website,

www.karenhalbert.com.

What is your biggest challenge when painting en plein air?

My biggest challenge is simplifying the scene before me. Allowing my

mind to play with mathematical concepts helps me in the process.

Briefly describe your most interesting or funny plein air

experience.

This is really an experience that is an aftermath of plein air

experiences: Six years ago while walking my dog in Santa Fe, I

encountered a woman who took one look at me and immediately

exclaimed, "So, you are a painter!" “What do you mean?,” I

responded. She pointed at the paint on my clothes (I do find that

paint gets all over me especially when I paint outside) and my plein air

hat. As a (plein air) painter herself from Cape Cod, she was

completely aware of the significance! That woman is now my best

friend. Art and painting still remain our favorite topics of conversation

on our daily walks with our dogs, Chili and Caleb, both red standard

poodles.

Please tell me about an interesting non-– art aspect of

yourself that people might be surprised to know.

Some people might not know that I was a computer programmer, and

then the manager/executive on software projects that are still being

used to drive trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Another, perhaps more interesting fact, is that I lived in Honolulu in

high school and return frequently. I have painted in Molokai at the

Leper Colony and Honolulu and plan to travel to the North Shore of

Oahu to paint at the end of this year for a few weeks. I will look for

the hidden harmony in the waves, the cliffs and the clouds.

What is your long-term goal as an artist?

To improve my skills and to impart any knowledge that I have been

acquiring in small classes. Also, to enter more competitions that will

hone my skills.

Any tips on tools, techniques or gear for the budding plein

air artist

Simplify the landscape: look for the big shapes and worry about the

details only at the end, if at all. Keep your equipment light and have it

ready at all times for that moment of inspiration.

What advice do you give an artist just starting out?

Use solvent-free materials; the health hazards of solvents are well known.

I recently acquired this as my motto, and I am teaching a class

in solvent-free oil painting in Arizona this winter. Also, work with a

limited palette, a cool and warm of each primary for a more

harmonious painting.

Karen at the Santa Fe River

"Santa Fe River Flows I", 6x12, oil by Karen Halbert

*Addendum. Karen was represented by the Marigold Arts Gallery on Canyon Road in Santa Fe, NM from 2017 - 2022

Selected Exhibitions – Karen Halbert

• 2024 Masterworks of NM. 3rd Place Oil/Acrylics.
• 2024 PAPNM Paint NM! Special Judge's Recognition Award.
• 2021 PAPNM Taos Exhibit Award of Excellence.
• 2018-current. PAPNM Exhibitions.
• November 2018. 10th National National Juried Members Show, Sorrel Sky Gallery. Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Santa Fe.
• June 2018. Santa Fe Plein Aire Fiesta, Juried Paintout and Exhibition. Sorrel Sky Gallery, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Santa Fe.
• October 2017. 9th National National Juried Members Show, Sorrel Sky Gallery. Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Santa Fe.
• October 2016. 8th National National Juried Members Show, Sorrel Sky Gallery. Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Santa Fe.
• September 2016. Mary Williams Fine Arts Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Plein Air Painters of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. Award of Merit for "Santa Fe River Turbulence", 10x16, oil.
• May 2016. Marigold Arts Gallery, Return to the Rivers, Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM.
• December 2015 – January 2016. Purple Sage Gallery, Solo Show, Hidden Harmony, Oldtown, Albuquerque, NM.
• October 2015. Art Collectors’ Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM) Annual Members Show, Santa Fe, NM
• September 2015. Biologique Juried Exhibition, Albuquerque. An exhibition portraying the connections between art and mathematics.
• August 2015. Mary Williams Fine Arts Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Plein Air Painters of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. 
• June 2015. Inart Gallery Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Santa Fe Plein Air Festival
• May 2014. Featured Artist, Purple Sage Galeria, Trekking through the Land of Enchantment, Old Town, Albuquerque.
• June 13 – July 6, 2014. InArt Gallery Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Annual Plein Air Santa Fe (PASF) Paintout, Santa Fe, NM.
• May 2-17, 2014. Gary Kim Gallery Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Annual Members Show, Santa Fe, NM.
• October 2013 Millicent Rogers Museum Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Annual Members Show, Taos, NM
• June 2013. Gary Kim Gallery, Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Annual Plein Air Santa Fe Paintout, Santa Fe.
• May 2012 – current. Purple Sage Galeria, Oldtown, Albuquerque, NM
• June 2012. Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Annual Paintout, Ruidoso, NM.
• November 2011. Placitas Artists Series 4-Person Juried Exhibition, Placitas, NM
• October 2011. Millicent Rogers Museum PAPNM Juried Exhibition, Land and Light, Taos, NM
• October 2010. Millicent Rogers Museum PAPNM Juried Exhibition, Spirit of Place, Taos, NM
• October 2009. Open Space Juried Exhibition, Little Gems, Albuquerque.
• August 2009. Wilder Nightingale Gallery Juried Exhibition, PAPNM Annual Members Show, Taos, NM.
• June 2004-2006, Betsy Jacaruso Gallery Exhibition: Luminous Visions in Landscape and Still Life, Red Hook, NY
• October 2005. Woodstock Art Association Juried Exhibition, The Beat Goes On, Woodstock, NY.
• April 2005. Woodstock Art Association Juried Exhibition, Still Life, Woodstock, NY

website: www.karenhalbert.com  

email: karen.halbert@gmail.com

Curriculum vitae:

• 2012-current. Webmaster - Plein Air Painters of NM
• 2024-. Karen Wray Gallery, Los Alamos, NM.
• 2024. Handell and Halbert Intuitive Compostion and Dynamic Symmetry, Bluebird Studios, Santa Fe.
• 2023. Dynamic Composition Workshop, Bluebird Studios, Santa Fe.
• 2016 – 2022. Marigold Arts Gallery, Canyon Road, Santa Fe.
• 2010-2018. Purple Sage Gallery, Oldtown, Albuquerque.
• 2005-current. Moved to Santa Fe from Woodstock to study with oil painting masters, Roger Williams, Doug Higgins, Bill Gallen and Albert Handell (and others). Volunteer Website Administrator for the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico. Continued to participate in juried exhibitions.  Frequently take painting trips with friends to places such as the Grand Canyon, Hawaii and the Tetons. But I concentrate on painting trips to Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu and to Taos as well as  day trips around the environs of Santa Fe.
• 2003-2005. Studied with master oil painter, Keith Gunderson. Woodstock, NY.
• 2003. Retired and Moved full-time to Woodstock, NY.
• 2002-2005. Studied with watercolorist, Betsy Jacaruso, Woodstock, NY.
• December 2001. Began serious training to become an artist.
• 2001 – 2003. SIAC/NYSE Vice President in charge of Trading Engines, managing over 100 people.
• 1997-2001. SIAC/NYSE. Managing Director of the Display Book, the premier application used by the Specialists on the floor of the NYSE.
• 1996-1997. SIAC/NYSE Computer Scientist/Manager of a New Display Book, managing dozens of consultants to update the systems on the NYSE.
• 1993-1995. SIAC/NYSE. Manager of the Specialists’ Display Book.
• 1986-1992. SIAC/NYSE. Computer Programming Consultant.
• 1983-1986. Philon, Compiler Design Computer Software Startup Company. Programmer and Manager.
• 1973-1982. College of Mount Saint Vincent, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, Riverdale, New York. Taught Beginner classes with references to Artistic terms such as Groups and their Graphs and the Fibonacci Series. Taught advanced classes in Abstract Algebra with references to Geometric transformations between structures (groups) and to patterns such as tessellations of the plane. Courses taught included Calculus, Complex Analysis and Abstract Algebra as well as introductory courses in Mathematics and Computers to non-math majors.
• 1969-1973. Graduate Program in Mathematics, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NYU. PhD in Combinatorial Group Theory. Dissertation. Symplectic Groups (Geometric Transformations of Hyper-space). Taught in a teachers’ training program and taught undergraduate courses at NYU while a graduate student.
• 1967-1969. US Peace Corps. Chimbote, Peru. La Escuela Normal Marianista de Chimbote. Taught ’New Math’ to Elementary School teachers in Spanish.
• 1964-1966. Computer Programmer. Columbia University, Underwater Acoustics Research Laboratory in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
• 1960-1964. Undergraduate program at NYU majoring in Mathematics. Full NYU scholarship and NY State Regents Scholarship.
• 1956-1960. High School. Roosevelt High School, Honolulu, Hawaii. National Merit Finalist. Art Award.
• 1950-1955. Seattle, Washington. Attended Elementary School in Ballard and Catherine Blaine Junior High School in Magnolia.
• 1942-1950. Vancouver,Washington. Oldest of six children.

Defining moments:

January 2018: Realized that I needed to return to my second love, Mathematics to explore the connections between it and the passion of the past two decades: art and painting. Adapted the 'brand': Radical Impressionist: A Mathematician Paints. Planning exhibitions.
May 2016. Return to the Rivers, exhibition at the Marigold Arts Gallery.  My son Joshua met a world renowned author and chef, Vikas , at a major political event.  One of his books is titled “Return to the River”. While reading the book into the middle of the night I realized that I have always been drawn to rivers (and oceans).  I was very moved by Khanna’s activities, supporting women and children throughout the world. He has raised himself up from poverty to become beloved by the Dalai Lama, Obama, Hillary Clinton and now my son and by millions watching him on his cooking programs. Khanna also donates dinners to womens’ shelters. Meeting him has opened up a new world for Joshua. I hope to record part of this world in my art. Hence the title of my new exhibit at the Marigold Arts Gallery.

February 2016. While teaching an oil painting class, I found that digging deeper into the techniques of painting and the theory helped me beter undersand what makes a great painting. I have tried to utilize my findings in my new works.

October 2005. Moved to Santa Fe to return to my western roots and to paint the wondrous New Mexico light and landscape.

October 2003. Retired early so that I could dedicate myself to a new career painting full-time. Moved from Manhattan to our summer home in Woodstock, NY to be surrounded by the beauty of the landscape in another artist-rich community.  I was especially inspired by scenes of the Hudson River and the painters of the Hudson River School legacy.

October 2001. Attended an executive program in San Diego, flying there in spite of security concerns. A question asked was: what did I do besides work.  This made me consider my life. It was then that I reminded myself how much art meant ot me when I was younger and how much I ued it for examples in my Mathematics’ classes.  I also realized that an important part of my career involved the presentation of data. I began to teach myself watercolor.

September 11, 2001. At the NYSE I managed the turnover of the software systems to support the opening of the NYSE on Monday, September 17. Then we implemented the system to be highly compliant with Security measures. This was a life-changing period.

1982. Changed from the academic world to the corporate world, transitioning through a start-up company.

1960-64. Chose careers in Mathematics over Art as more practical, though both fields are passions. I took many art courses (and religion and philosophy) as well as the requisite mathematics and physics courses.

1973. Only child, Joshua, born. He attended excellent schools (Fieldston in Riverdale, NY and Carnegie Mellon), studied to be an architect and is an executive for a large Manhattan architectural firm designing and promoting web-based systems; he’s become a computer ‘nerd’ like his mom while his mom became an art ‘nerd’. Josh designed my website, www.karenhalbert.com, so that I can update it as needed (often). We are working jointly on a project to upgrade the website to a state-of-the art implementation. I enjoy visiting him and his young family, now in San Diego, frequently, tying the visits into California coast painting trips.

1966. Joined the Peace Corps, leaving a corporate job in computers. Teaching there transformed what I wanted to do. I decided to continue in graduate studies afterwards so that I could teach Mathematics at the undergraduate level.

1955. Moved to Honolulu from Seatlle. I became totally immersed in the Hawaiian culture, while working within an academic challenging environment; the high school I attended was the last ‘english standard’ class in Honolulu. To get into the school required a test. Even today I enjoy returning to one of my second ‘home’ to paint and absorb the beautiful landscape. My high school friends opened my eyes to a world in which prejudice exists; I vowed to spend my life working to correct this and to trying to find beauty around us and peace.

Early childhood. The excellent junior high school I attended in Seattle opened up the world for me, showing me that I could escape a life of poverty and pursue any dreams I might have. Even today I enjoy returning to my childhood home to visit my close relatives and to view the beautiful scenery and to contemplate painting it (as I did with watercolors ten years ago).