Karen McLean-McGaw, nationally acclaimed artist and Santa Barbara native, has been capturing the essence of California and European landscapes for the past 30 years with her vibrant and sensitive paintings. Her small format paintings are executed "en plein air". Larger compositions are created in her studio utilizing the small plein air paintings as studies recording her passion for the color and light of of each unique scene.

Karen is well known for her sensitive expressive watercolor landscapes of California, Hawaii, Italy and France where she travels annually teaching workshops. She is frequently invited to jury shows and demonstrate her painting techniques. In addition to major corporate and private collections, her work has been featured on magazine covers and won national awards.