Karen Stinnett grew up in Georgia. She earned her BFA in painting from Western Carolina University and studied intaglio printmaking at the University of Georgia before receiving an MFA in painting at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1980. Relocating to Washington, D.C. she taught at private schools, community colleges and American University and had her first D.C. solo show at the Anton Gallery in 1982.
Her work has been shown widely in galleries and museums nationwide and has won awards in juried national shows including Watercolor: Southeast in Clearwater, Florida, Westmoreland Nationals in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and Savoire Faire in San Jose, California. She has had solo shows at the University of Virginia, Presbyterian College and Western Carolina University. Her work has been on the cover of and inside several regional and national magazines and was featured in the national publication, Watercolor, in 1994 and 2000. Recently she has had a touring exhibit of paintings of all 50 states stop in North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and the Krempp Gallery at the Jasper Art Center in Jasper, Indiana.
A long time art teacher at Highland School in Warrenton, Virginia, Ms. Stinnett now lives in Amissville, Virginia where she keeps her studio. Her work is carried locally by Haley Fine Arts in Sperryville. When not painting or teaching she spends her time doing dog agility with her Border collies
