Karen Rieger currently resides in Toronto. She attended the University of Toronto's Liberal Arts Program for two years and then continued on to the Ontario College of Art. Karen attributes the work of Klimt, Matisse and Modigliani, as well as sources from Japanese prints, Persian motifs and the textile patterns of 18th century Europe as having the most important influence on her style. Karen's work can be found in collections throughout Canda, U.S.A, Europe, and the Bahamas

Colour is of prime importance in my work, conveying mood and a sense of beauty and sensuality. I use relatively flat areas of colour to emphasize that the painting is an entity itself rather than the representation of an object. The use of pattern that unites the foreground and background and an avoidance of the use of perspective enhances this approach. I am not trying to create an illusion of reality but rather a new version of it. I see my art as a dialogue between my imagination and the past.