Dive into Karen Wood's mesmerizing art show, “Summer Lovey’s”, opening June 21, 2025. Join us at Lovey's on Lafayette for an unforgettable evening where creativity and passion collide.

About the Artist:

I am a creative force of nature. It’s the air I breathe, the way I worship. I am always looking for new ways to bring beauty into existence. I studied oil painting, ceramics, photography, and theatrical costuming in college. I dabbled in all of those things as hobbies and professionally, until I discovered a local maker space that offers all kinds of new technology. The laser cutters presented an amazing opportunity to use materials I hadn't explored before, and quickly I had a new passion with endless possibilities and abounding inspiration. \

My laser-cut art consists of many layers and many steps. The design process on the computer can take weeks for a single design. Once I decide on a color scheme, I paint each 1⁄8” sheet of birch wood by hand with water based wood dyes and metallic acrylics. I then cut them out one by one on a 60-watt CO2 laser. When the layers are cut, I meticulously adhere each layer together using a roller and dental tools to control the glue. I find the precision involved in this step is very satisfying and therapeutic for my mild OCD. The layers are pressed one at a time in a custom jig I made with three four-way pressure clamps to insure adhesion. After all the layers are secure, I seal the piece with polyurethane and place a hanger and bumpers on the back. Every piece is one of a kind and a labor of love.

My influences are rooted in nature, sacred geometry, and architecture. Everywhere I go, I see a new design in the making or a shape to be created. I believe my ability to organize shapes and colors into universally resonant motifs is one of my greatest strengths and I enjoy sharing the results with others.

Free Admission