Karen Elkan started drawing from the time she picked up her first crayon and "decorated" the walls in her parents home.  Her first subjects were people and animals created from her imagination.  Throughout school she took every art class available to her and by 13 gained a Mentor in Ace Powell, a western artist living in her hometown of Kalispell MT.  Although she didn't study long under him, due to his sudden death, she has always remembered what he taught her.

In the 80's, she moved to Upstate NY, and raised her family, doing commissioned work in Graphite when the opportunities arose.  In 2000, she began devoting more time to practising new techniques and studying through books and magazines.  At that time, she also began to look for new outlets for her work.

Some of the Juried Festivals she has been accepted in regularly are the "City of the Hills" show in Oneonta NY, and the Sonnenberg "Arts at the Gardens" show in Canandaigua NY. 

Karen is currently a Juried Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America.