Karen (see photo left) is a London based artist and architect whose passion is sketching and painting life around her, in her annotated, watercolour sketchbook diaries.

Karen says, “This might be in the bustle of a market, on the top of a cathedral or down in a wine cellar, the middle of a city or even the middle of nowhere. I have kept annotated, watercolour sketchbook diaries for almost twenty years. I stand in situ and draw with bic biros, (I do not use a camera) adding watercolour and notes around the perimeter. Sometimes the words venture into the drawing and become an integral part.”

Karen goes on to say, “In 2001 I was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to undertake an artist’s journey through World Heritage Cities and Sites from France, travelling eastwards through eight countries, including Iran, Uzbekistan and India to Nepal, recording it all in the pages of my sketchbook diary. Subsequently I have spent time in Cuba, and the World Heritage City of Havana, culminating with a solo exhibition of my work at the British Ambassador’s Residence there.”

Karen’s work has included a community project along Hadrian’s Wall, and sketching in and around the Palace of Westminster, both of which are World Heritage Sites, as well as a spell as ‘artist in residence’ at the Athenaeum. Karen was also the ‘MCC Young Cricket Artist for 2005’, based at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

On October 9th 2006, Karen’s London sketchbook diary was published by Methuen, and launched (see photo right) together with an exhibition of paintings from the sketchbook at the Waterloo Gallery, London where various London glitterati and Globetrotters turned up to sup wine and admire Karen’s superb drawings.

If you would like more information about Karen’s work or would like to contact her, please visit her website or e-mail her on: info@karenneale.co.uk

London in Landscape can be purchased online from The Westminster Bookshop and Amazon Books as well as all good bookshops.