Karen Middleton reflects on her life and art

Oct. 31—Karen Middleton began painting her junior year of high school when her brother gifted her a paint by number set. Now, years later, her studio at High Cotton Arts is where she creates pieces such as her Women of Substance collection.

While living in Michigan, Middleton began taking art classes where she began learning basic techniques and focusing on still life.

"After my kids were born. I took some classes, just private classes. It was a Sunday afternoon hobby. I wasn't really a serious artist. I've always been a messy artist," said Middleton.

When Middleton and her family moved to Limestone County, her then husband encouraged her to enroll in art classes at Calhoun. She didn't, at first, but eventually she submitted the paperwork to admissions.

"I ended up enrolling in an art education curriculum and so that's when I really started painting," said Middleton. "I began painting portraits and different things."

While at Calhoun, Middleton discovered a knack for English during her composition classes.

"I discovered I liked writing and so I transferred to UAH," said Middleton.

While at UAH, she studied English with a communications minor emphasizing journalism.

After graduating with her bachelor's degree, Middleton couldn't find employment immediately. While searching, she discovered a graduate co-op with the Huntsville Times.

She completed a six month internship at the Huntsville Times working the City beat, serving as her professional introduction to the field. After the internship ended, she took graduate level English classes and taught students who failed the english portion of their ACT.

After the co-op ended in 1984, Middleton began working in the university relations department at UAH.

"I worked there for a year and that was just too calm for me. It didn't have enough adrenaline," said Middleton.

She then worked for an advertising agency for six months before coming to be a reporter at The News Courier.

"I worked there for six years, five months, and two days under Bob Brian and then I went to the Decatur Daily for 11 years," said Middleton. "I decided I was about ready to retire but Denny Koenders asked me to come back and do their senior magazine."

She went on to say, "I didn't think I would ever go back to the Courier but I did their senior magazine, Boom, for six years."

In 2010, Middleton got involved with Art on the Square and was on the board. After some time, she rented a studio at High Cotton where she remains today.

"After my older two children died of cancer in the same year, I needed to get into something," said Middleton. "I rented a studio up here and I figured it was cheaper than a psychiatrist."

Her art has been an outlet for her whole lifetime, having suffered the loss of not just her oldest children in 2020, but also her youngest in a car accident in 1987.

Since moving into her space in High Cotton, Middleton has focused more heavily on her studio art, finding a great interest in portraiture.

"I find the human face endlessly fascinating," Middleton said.

She created her Women of Substance collection of acrylic portraiture on canvas, which has been on display at Athens State and is now back at High Cotton.

"I like to think of myself as a feminist and, of course, this is kind of controversial and I've seen some chatter on Facebook blaming women for the abortion problem and that didn't sit well with me, you know, last time I looked it took two," said Middleton.

First, she painted Ruth Bader Ginsburg and then went on to paint other prominent women in recent history.

While Middleton prefers oils, she finds herself having a tendency to overwork them as they are workable for days, so nowadays she mainly works with acrylics as they dry much faster.

In recent months, Middleton has been taking watercolor classes with Sonya Gordon, a medium much different than oil or acrylic.

"You have to work fast, as it drys quickly," she said.

Middleton, still today, is in a constant state of learning and growing.

She encourages aspiring artists to remember they won't be perfect, or even good, the first time they pick up a paint brush or pencil.

"You're not going to be good at something like this the first time. So practice, take classes, learn, and go easy on yourself," said Middleton. "You may even have a natural talent but to perfect that you have to put in the work."