Art & Life with Karen Butts

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Butts.

Karen, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
From the time I could hold a crayon, I wanted to be an artist. I was given the materials to be creative as a child, but as I got older, my dad directed me in a different direction since he felt I would have trouble making a living as an artist. So, I went to college to become a school teacher, however, I never finished, Instead, I got married and raised three wonderful children. During this journey as a wife and mother, I satisfied my creative urge whenever I could with hobbies such as drawing, painting, sewing, quilting, scrap booking, pottery, to name a few. I loved my role as a mother, but being creative was my happy place. At the age of 55, when all three children were through college, I picked up a new hobby, photography.

My school principal allowed me to attend the Texas School of Photography in 2004 where I studied under Master photographer, Darton Drake, RIP. He was a true artist and sparked my desire to create artistic portraits. After this life changing experience, I came home and quit my job as a Registrar for CyFair ISD to follow my heart. It was taking a big leap of faith, but my income was not as critical now, so I felt I could take a risk.

I had always put my family first, but now it was time to spread my wings and soar! I joined Professional Photographers Guild of Houston, Texas PPA and the Professional Photographers of America and began taking advantage of educational opportunities at all levels. I earned my CPP (Certified Professional Photographer) in 2013 from the PPA. In 2015, I earned my Master’s Degree by receiving merit worthy scores in photographic competition in addition to continuing my education. In 2017, I earned my Photographic Craftsman Degree by sharing my knowledge with PPA affiliated organizations and taking advantage of additional education. Locally, I was Photographer of the Year in 2014 and Master Photographer of the Year in 2016 and 2017 for PPGH. I have been a medalist for four times in PPA’s annual International Photographic Competition and have 8 images printed in prestigious Loan Collection books and four in Showcase books.

My photographic journey has led me back to my first love, art! Here is a quote that speaks to me by Edgar Degas. “Art is not what you see, it is what you make others see.”

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am more than just a photographer, I am a portrait artist. My goal is to create something beautiful; to capture the essence of a person’s soul, not just take a picture of what someone looks like. Anyone can do that with their cell phone. Is an image on your phone good enough? It is not, in my opinion! I want to bring back an appreciation of fine art portraits such as created by Rembrandt. Portraits that will be treasured by family members for generations. I have a formal portrait of my great grandfather hanging in my home in an oval frame with convex glass. What a treasure! I also have two, four generation pictures, one of me as a baby with my dad, my grandfather and my great grandfather and one with my dad as a baby and his ancestors. The later was take on the family homestead in front of the chicken coup. What a treat it is to be able to see my ancestors! They are a link to my past, to my heritage.

I can create something special of you or of your child by using my technical skills of good lighting, posing, color harmony, composition and other essential elements as well as my artist gift. It will be much more than a snapshot living on your cell phone. I can also take the image to the next level and turn it into a valuable painting which will last for generations.

I specialize in individuals and because of my love for children, I mostly photograph children, especially newborns. Newborns grow and change in the blink of an eye! It is important to capture them within the first two weeks of life as they will never again be this fresh, new tiny human. It is sometimes hard to remember details of how they were as we witness them changing every day. That is why it is so important to have your milestones documented. In this digital world, it is also important to have physical prints, not just digital files. Technology is always changing and one day, we will not have a device that will read a disc or the jump drive. I also have a special place in my heart for senior citizens, who I feel are often forgotten. I photograph seniors, 65 and older, at no charge and gift them a print. They will soon be gone and we need to capture who they are so their offspring will have a beautiful memory.

How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Success is about the journey; it’s about satisfying the creative soul. It is about continuing to grow as an artist and creating treasured portraits. My work is my passion; it does not feel like work. I continue to study art created by others, not to copy, but for the inspiration. I have learned that one does not grow without taking risks and that one learns more from their mistakes than from accidental successes.

Here is another inspirational quote that speaks to me. “A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because their trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Always believe in yourself.” Author Unknown

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Since my work is so specialized, it is not displayed anywhere on a regular basis. It is, however, on display every year at the annual Judy Dierker Holiday Market at Foundry United Methodist church at 8350 Jones Rd, Houston, TX 77065. This year the market will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 19th and 20th. You can see more of my work on my website.

You could best support my work by allowing me to create a piece of art for your home! I would love to create a portrait of a special person in your life. You will be part of this journey. I will want to find out all about who the subject and what they love to do. The final piece of work would be printed on canvas or on another fine art surface such as velvet paper with a torn edge, matted and framed.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.naturalimagesbykaren.com
• Phone: 7135622931
• Email: naturalimages@att.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buttskaren/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturalImagesbykaren/?timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=1632033906&fref=tag
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/naturalimages1

Image Credit:
All of the images were taken by me, including the selfie of myself, except the two cell phone snapshots. The one with the baby was taken by the baby’s mother using my cell phone and the one at the trade show was taken by another vendor.

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.