Karen MacKenzie
New work in progress inspired by recent encounter with the Auroras. Working larger than I have in a while which feels really liberating!

#sketch #northernlights #wip #illustration #winterscene
November 19, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Here's a much better copy of my new painting 'North Country Girl'. Prints and cards, etc are available @ InPrnt link on my page. #northcountrygirl #autumn #painting #gouache #illustration
November 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
October 31, 2025 at 1:11 AM
New painting (gouache 11"x14") titled 'North Country Girl'. #autumn #painting #gouache #watercolor #illustration #dahlias #goldenlab #mushroomhunting
October 28, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Color study for a new painting. Might not see the sun like this in Oly for awhile, but trying to capture the unique goldenness of Autumn. Switching back to watercolors & gouache for this one...it's been awhile! #fall #autumn #windy #wip #illustration
October 12, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I recently finished a portrait commission, it was small (8 x 11) and my subject is an art quilter, so I added a quilted sun to go with the sailboat that represents their love of sailing! When she opened it, her laugh was a perfect mirror of the painting! #oilpainting #portraits
September 9, 2025 at 10:32 PM
If you see this, post your blue Art 🩵💙🩵
‘Gaia’ (oil on board) #imaginativerealsim #starryskies #oilpainting
June 24, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Karen MacKenzie
gonna call this one done, I think 🤞
June 20, 2025 at 10:04 PM
This is ‘Trina’ who began as an exploration of the Empress in tarot, but became a ‘Lady of the Canyon’ (Joni Mitchell). I worked with Cobra water soluble oils, which I can recommend to anyone looking to move away from solvents. #painting #illustration #imaginativerealism #JoniMitchell #CobraOils
May 28, 2025 at 11:08 PM
May 13, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Update on the new water soluble oil paints by Cobra. I love them! It was a quick adjustment, and now I’m all in. Highly recommend! #oilpainting #makeart #dreamscapes #colormyworld #imagination #illustration #cobraoils
April 17, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Had a poetic moment yesterday walking around the lake with some friends, and cherry blossoms wafted across our path and landed on the water. It reminded me of this painting I made after the tsunami on March 11th 2011. #japan #fukushima #healing #cherryblossoms #painting #illustration #gouache
April 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Rough first stab at painting with my new water soluble oil paints. It’s going to take a minute to adjust, but they have great potential! #cobraoils #paintplay #catportraits #nontoxic #messyfun
April 13, 2025 at 3:20 PM
#portfolioday
I’m Karen Mac from the rainy PNW. I love storytelling mixed with history & some fantasy. I’m available for illustration work from children’s books to YA and beyond.
I can be reached at: kmackenzieart@gmail.com
April 8, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Color study for a new painting that I’m titling ‘Twilight with Trina’. I tried using acrylics, but have decided to experiment with water soluble oils. They’re made by Rembrandt in the Netherlands, so I have high hopes they’ll do the trick! #workinprogress #colorstudy #illustration #repose
April 5, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Rough drawing for a new painting in acrylics. Have had to discontinue oils due to a kind of allergic reaction. Hoping for a smooth transition! #sketch #illustration #painting #lapcat #luna #ocean #workinprogress
April 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Finally wrangled this bear to the finish line. Learned a lot! I think Bob Ross was a genius! And then happened to see the animation ‘Brother Bear’ last night…so timely, and great story! Thanks for checking in. #landscape #oilpainting #nature #pacificnorthwest #brownbear #salmon #eagle #sunrise
March 18, 2025 at 2:54 AM
I made this MerKitty avatar for a friend recently. It was fun collaborating on the project. As it turned out, I watched the Aristocats in the midst of working on it, so there’s a little bit of Duchess in her! #logos #mermaid #kitty #avatar #illustration #color #collaboration
March 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I don’t usually make an underpainting, so this’ll be an interesting evolution. Have been wanting to alter my approach. I’m hoping the next (color) layer brings it alive! #wilderness #oilpainting #landscape #wildlife #pacificnorthwest
February 20, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Karen MacKenzie
Still wintery ❄️

#kidlitart
February 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Following the muse like a river without end…and looking forward to working in oil paints again after a bunch of digital work. #sunrise #pacificnorthwest #sketch #landscape #nature #illustration #bear #eagle #douglasfir
February 17, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Quote re-post with yer wings
February 11, 2025 at 4:20 PM
#MartinLutherKing by the extraordinarily talented Bud Cook.
January 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I just finished revising this painting which was originally used for the inaugural concert by the Seattle Women’s Choir. I started work just before Christmas, and now with the terrible fires in California, I can only hope that they have cooler weather and rain soon! (‘Snow Flight’).
January 11, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Reposted by Karen MacKenzie
Details of 🌙 Les Jardins de Nuit ⭐️ (censored version) - Mixed media: colored pencils, pastels, ink and gold leaf on paper.

It is one of the drawings I most enjoyed creating. It is strongly inspired by the Symbolist school and the Pre-Raphaelites.

Model: @psycheophiuchus.bsky.social
December 13, 2024 at 7:31 PM