Artist, illustrator, and author living in Portland, OR.

Hi, welcome! I’ve had a meandering path towards art. I started my career in documentary film, spent over a decade working as a motion designer and illustrator, and recently switched gears to focus full time on making physical objects with my hands. I work in watercolor, gouache (both traditional and acrylic), ink, pens, colored pencils, acrylic, collage, embroidery, etc. I like to paint big messy wild canvases, teeny tiny detailed things, and a variety of stuff in between.

My first picture book, The Little Guy and the Creature, was published via a successful kickstarter campaign and sold out the first printing. I’m currently working on a collection of tiny monster portraits, mucking about in my many, many, (too many) sketchbooks, covering everything in paint, and plotting my next book. 

I live and work in a little apartment with my two tabby cats (Alfie and Frankie). It’s pretty cozy, but I use my kitchen for painting more than cooking. We’re currently dreaming of where we’ll land next. Sunlight and a catio are our top priorities!

hello@karenhansen.co
Instagram