I use various media to create paintings from photos.

This is a  mixed media painting:

Here's a detail of it.

I painted it from scratch using as reference this photo by photographer Mary Wynn-Ball.

I paint commissioned portraits either from a photo that you supply or from a photo that I take. I paint the portraits by hand, brushstroke by brushstroke, sometimes using new media, other times painting from scratch with traditional oils or acrylics.

I painted this painting from scratch with traditional oils.

Here's a detail of it.

I enjoy painting with both traditional and new media, and while creating art is fascinating as a means of communication, with portraits being a special window into a unique moment in the subject's life, to me it's equally as interesting to experiment with media and materials. Each painting is like a journey and the mark-making tool I use is the means of transportation, so every painting becomes an extraordinary voyage into the imagination, seeing what the brushes and paints are capable of, and having a different result each time, kind of like the difference between travelling by car, ship and plane—all are fun, but all are different experiences. You strike a balance during the painting between the creative nature of art expression and the mechanical skill of it.

The portrait becomes a cherished keepsake for its owner, but it always remains special to me as something that took me on a fascinating creative journey.

If you'd like, send me an e-mail and I'll put you on my list for updates and news of upcoming exhibits and charity events. I have some time in my schedule available for new portraits-write to me for details!

I got a nice review from a photography client:

My kids had a photo session with Karen Sperling and it was worth every penny.

We were very pleased with the results and highly recommend her.

Karen's photos are very unique because her observations have dual purposes. She doesn't only take photos of your child like a standard photographer does, but she also adds her artistic touch to the photographs. She captures the subjects at their most natural, momentous and touching situations.

We just loved her originality.

Kamelya and Fred Hakimian

Thanks very much!

I'm honored to be showing my artwork at Biju Pet Spa in Sherman Oaks, CA (Los Angeles).

It's my first association with a store and with portraits--I've exhibited my abstract fine art in galleries in Los Angeles, New York and during Art Basel Miami Beach.

The shelf upon which store owner Chérie Gigliotti placed my dog portrait is a prominent spot in the shop--it faces the front entrance so that the dog portrait is one of the first things you see when you enter the pet spa.

I just brought the portrait over today. It'll be fun to see what the reactions are and to start painting portraits for the dog owners who frequent the shop.

Biju Pet Spa is a great little shop and I'm so happy to be represented there.

They're located at 4528 Saugus Avenue, which is just off Ventura Blvd. and Sepulveda, near the Whole Foods. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by!