Karen Safer

Pro Type: Photographer

Karen Safer, a native Angelino, is an internationally exhibited, award-winning photographic artist and poet with a musical bent. Her passion for art began when given a camera and crayons at age three and immersed in California’s visual language. A lifelong traveler, she has explored over 230+ countries & territories, embracing both the exotic and the unexpected. Influenced by her father’s black-and-white photography and her mother’s insatiable curiosity for knowledge and travel, her inspirations range from ancient Assyria to the conceptual works of Cindy Sherman. She began as a painter before discovering photography in college, earning a master’s degree in art (UCLA & CSULB) and building a career in design and architecture. With 14 solo exhibitions and participation in over 590 shows, she has received more than 480 awards, including the Julia Margaret Cameron Award, PISPA, TIFA, reFocus, and Exposure One, etc. Her work has been featured in 130+ publications, such as LENS, Dodho, ArtTalk, ArtTour, One Eyeland and Spotlight,etc. She has exhibited in major cities worldwide, including London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Venice, Florence, Barcelona, Budapest, Dubai, São Paulo, Seoul, Tokyo, Zurich, New York, and Los Angeles. Her work is held in numerous collections, and she is member of many organizations including LAAA (825 Gallery, LA) and LACP, etc. A self-described "romantic old soul" with intellectual cravings, she navigates the digital world while remaining deeply connected to art’s timeless essence. She embraces color but venerates black and white – realistic and abstract.