Born in Flagstaff, AZ
Lives in Cottonwood, AZ
Works in Clarkdale, AZ
Education
2006
Master of Fine Arts Painting, Hunter College, New York, NY
2001
Bachelor of Fine Arts Painting and Drawing, summa cum laude, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, CO
1993
Bachelor of Science English, Art History Minor, cum laude, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
Solo Exhibitions
2012
Stacks, Plus Gallery, Denver, CO
2009
Everything Has Its Place, Plus Gallery, Denver, CO
2006
Pitch Shift, Plus Gallery, Denver, CO
2003
Synesthesia, Cordell Taylor Gallery, Denver, CO
2002
New Paintings, Cordell Taylor Gallery, Denver, CO
Selected Group and Two Person Exhibitions
2019
The Nth Dimension, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, CO
2011
Tone – an evening of experimental jazz, words and color-fueled painting, The Dale Building, Flagstaff, AZ
2010
Excellencies, Plus Gallery, Denver, CO
2009
DAM Contemporaries Bollywood Night, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2008
Unspoken, Coconino Center for the Arts, Flagstaff, AZ
2007
Art Miami with Plus Gallery, Miami, FL
2006
Hot Art Benefit, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO
34 Artists One Gallery – Thesis Show, Hunter College Times Square Gallery, New York, NY
Fine Art Alumni Invitational Exhibit, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, CO
Directions in Abstraction, Edge Gallery, Denver, CO
2005
Selections, Plus Gallery, Denver, CO
Lucky Sevens Fundraiser, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE
MAs Select MFAs, Hunter College Times Square Gallery, New York, NY
2004
Kinetic: New Media and Painting, Bank Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Scope Los Angeles with Bank Gallery, The Standard Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
The State of the Union, Zeile Judish Gallery, Denver, CO
Scope New York with Cornell DeWitt Gallery, Hotel Gansevoort, New York, NY
Next: New American Paintings, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE
2003
Women on Painting, Cornell DeWitt Gallery, New York, NY
Contemporary American Artists in Bangalore, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath Arts Complex, Bangalore, India
Wall Drug, Cordell Taylor Gallery, Denver, CO
Love 4 Sale, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, CO
Momentum, Fresh Art, Denver, CO
2002
Flat Out, Cornell DeWitt Gallery, New York, NY
Urbanity, Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, Fort Collins, CO
Rocky Mountain Biennial, Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, Fort Collins, CO
Love 4 Sale, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, CO
Colorado 2002: A Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, CO
White, Andenken Gallery, Denver, CO
2001
32/26, Andenken Gallery, Denver, CO
Grand Opening Group Exhibition, Cordell Taylor Gallery, Denver, CO
Force Future, Raven’s Nest Gallery, Denver, CO
Post Point, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, CO
Annual Juried Show, Spark Gallery, Denver, CO
Alternative Exhibitions
2007
New American Paintings, juried exhibition-in-print #72
2005
New American Paintings, juried exhibition-in-print #60
2003
Cosmopolitan and Cordell Taylor Gallery, Daniels and Fisher Tower, Denver, CO
2003
Paintings rented for the filming of the CBS television show “Touched By An Angel”, season 9, episode 14, aired 02/08/03
Awards/Accomplishments
2007
Westword, Best of Denver – Best Group Gallery Show for Directions in Abstraction at Edge Gallery, Denver, CO
2002
Westword, Best of Denver – Best Emerging Artist/Group Show for 32/26 at Andenken Gallery, Denver, CO
Speaking Engagements
2006
Pitch Shift – artist talk, Plus Gallery, Denver, CO
2003
Synesthesia – artist talk, Cordell Taylor Gallery, Denver CO
Slide Jam – a five-minute slide presentation, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver CO
2002
Urbanity – artist panel discussion, Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, Fort Collins, CO
New Paintings – artist talk, Cordell Taylor Gallery, Denver, CO
Selected Bibliography
2012
untitledartshow.com, podcast #188, September
2009
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Abstractionist at her best in the new venue’, review, Denver Post, March 22
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Gallery reopens with a splash’, article, The Denver Post, March 22
Melton, Brian, ‘Contemporary Cultivation’, article, Denver Magazine, March issue
2008
Talsma, Michelle, ‘More Than Words Can Say’, review, Flagstaff Live, January 31 – February 6
Bruner, Betsey, ‘Turning Art on its Head’, article, Arizona Daily Sun, January 20
Abrahamsen, John, ‘It’s the Arts’, article, The Noise, January issue
‘Karen McClanahan – artist profile’, Flagstaff Cultural Partners.com newsletter, January
2007
Bitz, Jonathan, ‘Karen McClanahan‘, profile, Denver Syntax.com, issue #11, May
Cash, Stephanie, ‘Report From Colorado, The Hills are Alive’, mention, Art in America Magazine, February issue
Faison, Amanda M., ‘Artist to Watch: Karen McClanahan’, profile, 5280 Magazine, January issue
2006
Paglia, Michael, ‘Visual Noise’, review, Westword, November 9 -15
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘Similarities of painters make show exceptional’, review, Rocky Mountain News, November 3
Paglia, Michael, ‘Artbeat’, review, Westword, April 20
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Room to room, a lovely collision of methods’, review, The Denver Post, April 14
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘Abstraction Rules’, review, Rocky Mountain News, April 7
Kleinman, Susan, ‘Mid-country Modern’, article, Metropolitan Home Magazine, April issue
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘Two Paint Broader Pictures’, review, Rocky Mountain News, January 6
2004
O’Brien, John, ‘Kinetic’, review, Artscenecal.com, November
France, Erica, ‘Karen McClanahan at Cordell Taylor Gallery’, review, Art in America Magazine, April issue
Kobayashi, Kana, ‘NY Arts Student Page’, profile, New York Arts Magazine, March-April issue
Hassebroek, Ashley, ‘Bemis Exhibit is Showcase of Originality’, review, Omaha World Herald, March 14
Logan, Casey, ‘Next: Good Point of Demarcation’, review, The Reader, March 4-10
2003
Paglia, Michael, ‘Under the Influence’, review, Westword, September 25
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘In a New, New Vein’, review, Rocky Mountain News, September 19
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Young Artist’s Exhibit Shows She’s One to Watch’, review, The Denver Post, September 12
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Paint the town Red’, fall preview, The Denver Post, August 31
Reed, John, ‘Critics’ Picks’, review, Artforum.com, August 21
Paglia, Michael, ‘Moving on up’, review, Westword, January 23
2002
Paglia, Michael, ‘Beauty Contest’, article, Westword, October 3
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Colorado art in spotlight at New York show “Flat Out” ’, article, The Denver Post, September 13
Paglia, Michael, ‘Balancing Act’, article, Westword, September 5
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘ ”Future” a force to reckon with’, review, Rocky Mountain News, August 9
MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Paintings test the eyes but show obvious skill’, review, The Denver Post, June 19
Phillips, Sandra, ‘Powerful, Intense and Diverse’, review, Lodo and Downtown Denver News, June issue
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘Striking Exhibit Tests Sense of Balance’, review, Rocky Mountain News, May 31
Paglia, Michael, ‘Thoroughly Modern Painting’, review, Westword, May 23
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘Yardbirds Gather Indoors’, review, Rocky Mountain News, February 20
Paglia, Michael, ‘City Focus: Ambitious Moves’, mention, Artnews Magazine, January issue
2001
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘Young Artists Worth a Look’, review, Rocky Mountain News, December 21
Paglia, Michael, ‘Straight Ahead’, review, Westword, December 13
Gluckstern, J., ‘Wit Unites Work in “Force Future” ’, review, Boulder Daily Camera, April 8
Chandler, Mary Voelz, ‘New Day Dawns at Contemporary’, review, Rocky Mountain News, March 23
Selected Bibliography Links
Review of Everything Has Its Place: MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Abstractionist at her best in the new venue’, Denver Post, March 22, 2009
Artist profile: Bitz, Jonathan, ‘Karen McClanahan‘, Denver Syntax.com, issue #11, May 2007
Review of Pitch Shift: Paglia, Michael, ‘Visual Noise’, Westword, November 9 -15, 2006
Review of Directions in Abstraction: MacMillan, Kyle, ‘Room to room, a lovely collision of methods’, The Denver Post, April 14, 2006
Review of Kinetic: O’Brien, John, ‘Kinetic’, Artscenecal.com, November 2004
Review of New Paintings: Paglia, Michael, ‘Thoroughly Modern Painting’, Westword, May 23, 2002