Karen Croner

Karen Croner is a mixed media sculptor working with wire, papier-mâché, paper clay, fabric, and plaster. Iconic fairy tale characters —the tricksters, the innocents, sorcerers, princes, princesses, even “the big bad wolf” — inspire much of her work.

Karen grew up on the high desert in Arizona, where she fell in love with the vibrant Mexican folk art across the border and the wildlife near her home, especially jack rabbits and coyotes. She studied Visual and Cultural Anthropology at San Francisco State and that deepened her appreciation for primitive and folk arts. Now those experiences help shape the stories Karen tells with her art.

Each sculpture begins with a wire armature and papier-mâché. “I use other simple materials — paper clay, fabric, plaster, and acrylic paints — to create unique textures and features. The materials present challenges but also surprises. The tension between these humble ingredients and my utmost vision for each piece motivates me to explore and innovate.”