About the Artist
Kara Lin is a Portrait artist based in Virginia. They first started oil painting at the age of 14 when they attended the highschool scholarship class at The Yellow Barn. After Highschool Kara trained as a Seamstress and worked in fashion design and costuming which would later be a large influence on their painting subject. At the age of 25 They decided to make a career change and pursue the fine arts after having put their painting aside for many years. It was at this point Kara attended the Compass Atelier Master Artist Program from April 2020 to 2023.
They have had their work in the Emerging Artists Exhibition at the Delaplaine Arts Center where they won the people's choice award. They also had work in the Maryland Art Association’s 2022 Paint the Town Exhibition, and the Maryland Federation of Art’s 2022 Strokes of Genius Exhibition in Annapolis.
Artist's Statement
I have always worn my emotions on my sleeve, and my art has become an extension of that self-expression. From my clothing, body modifications, and makeup, every aspect of my appearance reflects the feelings I carry. This intensity spills into my artistic practice, where I create paintings that explore the interplay between external appearance and internal emotion. Using costume design as a central element, my work blends personal expression with a dramatic, Baroque-inspired aesthetic to convey the complexity of identity, vulnerability, and power.