Montreal born, Toronto raised, Karen Cantello has been juggling

painting, mixed media sculpture for the past 15 years. Her  most

recent work has been an exploration of the unique qualities of the 
urban environment with specific works inspired by scenes in the 
Oakwood-Vaughan -St Clair area of Toronto. Her process for 

choosing subjects involves saturating herself with hundreds

of photographic images and brewing them in her imagination.

Often these images involve commonly used subject matter.

Rather than dismiss them as cliché, Cantello views them as

visual archetypes with direct links to subconscious. Karen believes

the painting process itself should be an act not an activity. The

artist paints in long session where she is able to give complete

attention to creating a satisfying tension between what is seen;

realistic moments of light or detail; thoughtful decisions based on

knowledge of the effect of colour texture, edge and what is felt.

Karen Cantello has periodically participated in group shows in Toronto

as well as those sponsored by the Oakville Art Society. Her works are 

in corporate collections in Mississauga and Ottawa and in private 

collections in Canada, the USA and the UK.
 

Cattle Resting
2008
acrylic on canvas
24”x 72”