Karin Jansson

Karin Jansson was born in August, 1957 in Stockholm, Sweden. She moved with her family to Alpine, New Jersey as a preschooler, later attending the Spence School in New York City, where between classes she could be found studying paintings at the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art.

She reports, “My fascination with the West was an enigma. I felt a strong pull there from the time I was a kid… I just felt very much at home in the wide open spaces and the “empty” landscape, which did not appear so to me. It was more like a blank canvas with a world of possibilities waiting for me.” This love of the golden openness brought Karin to the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she graduated in 1979 with a B.A. in fine art.

After returning to Manhattan, Karin served brief stints teaching art and working for a Soho art gallery, but she still felt drawn West. During this time, she discovered textile design. Karin promptly launched a 22-year freelance career working for prominent New York studios.

In 1987, Karin returned to the west coast.. At this time, her art was included in 30 Contemporary Women Artists by Pomegranate Art Books.

Karin’s art work continued to blossom and develop into new areas. She expanded her efforts into wood sculpting and hand-painted furniture. This grounding in three-dimensional art gave her new work a remarkable sense of depth. It deeply influenced her new primary focus for her creative endeavors, painting in acrylic.