Karen Hoepting grew up on a farm in rural Ontario just south of Owen Sound, a small port city on Georgian Bay. Growing up in the country usually meant having a lot of “nothing to do,” so Hoepting and her siblings would often draw and paint to amuse themselves. Animals were always an important part of her life and these were her favorite subjects. She remembers drawing them as carefully and realistically as possible. This activity was a particular source of happiness to the young girl.

After high school Hoepting enrolled in the liberal arts program at the University of Waterloo. She majored in Fine Arts – graduating in 1997 with an Honors BA in Fine Arts. Her early studio work followed along traditional lines, drawing with pencils and pastels on paper, while painting in oils and acrylic on canvas. Today she combines these media working them together on both canvas and paper.

The work of German Expressionists and the Symbolists have always intrigued Hoepting. She is emotionally drawn to the vivid and powerful imagery of Kathe Kollwitz, Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. Like these artists she speaks to the viewer through symbols and stylistic motifs.

Today Hoepting lives just north of Toronto, Ontario with her husband Ching Lee and her many pets. She is featured regularly in select galleries throughout Canada, the US and Great Britain. She is also represented in Japan and has many successful exhibitions there.