Gallery With A Cause • Located in the New Mexico Cancer Center • Benefitting the NMCC Foundation
Please call gallery director Regina Held to arrange a private gallery tour, make a purchase, or ask any questions.
Biography
Karen Romel-Hansen is a self-directed artist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she has lived for more than a decade. Originally from South Dakota and later Montana, she has long felt connected to mountains, open spaces, animals, plants, and the distinctive character of the Southwest.
A breast cancer survivor, Karen understands how meaningful moments of beauty, calm, and connection can be during difficult times. She hopes her work offers visitors a welcoming pause, a chance to smile, remember a beloved place, or simply feel peaceful for a moment.
Artist Statement
Making art is where my mind grows quiet and I feel most like myself. I follow curiosity rather than a single medium or style, working primarily in pastel and acrylic while also exploring watercolor, mixed media, glass-on-glass mosaics, jewelry, traditional quilting, and collage-style art quilts.
Nature and color continually draw me in. Mountains, open spaces, animals, flowers, still life, and the earthy tones and vivid colors of the Southwest all find their way into my work. A subject does not need to be profound; it may simply be beautiful, interesting, or joyful to make.
I create for the freedom to explore and for the happiness the process brings. I often share my work with others, and I hope each piece provides a brief sense of calm, recognition, or delight, a reminder that beauty remains possible even when life is difficult.