30″ x 48″
Karen Goldberg is a realist oil painter and illustrator based in Bloomfield, New Jersey. She is primarily self-taught and further developed her artistic practice by attending classes at the Montclair Art Museum. Goldberg is known for creating paintings that evoke peace, warmth, and nostalgia, particularly through carefully observed landscapes, domestic settings, and figures. Her works are characterized by their attention to light, reflection, and the quiet beauty of everyday life. Before dedicating herself fully to art, she worked in New York City in the banking industry and later focused on raising her three daughters. In addition to fine art, Goldberg is the co-creator and illustrator of the award-winning Bumpy Books learn-to-read series, which received the 2008 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for Reading Skills and Literacy.In 2013, she published Funny Side Up through Adams Media. Her paintings and illustrations have appeared on the covers of Suburban Essex Magazine, Vicinity Publications, and materials for the Montclair Art Museum.Her work has also been featured in numerous juried exhibitions throughout New Jersey. In 2025, Alfa Art Gallery honored Goldberg with its “Master of Material” Award in Oil Painting, recognizing her technical precision and emotional sensitivity as an artist.
Artist Statement
The subject of my art is varied and often changes as a response to what’s going on in the world, my thoughts and feelings, and my personal interest at that time. The subjects of my paintings may draw inspiration from religious and political influences, antique cars, my daughters or simply a scenic landscape, to name a few. Although my themes, subjects, and focus change throughout the years, I often find that I return to my love of painting reflections, as is shown in several of my paintings. The challenge of rendering reflection and light, whether found in metallic objects, water, or glass, provides me with a sense of satisfaction that always brings me back to painting these subjects. Most recently, I have been exploring portraiture and have spent these past few months developing these skills. I am an artist that chooses not to consistently paint within a specific subject. I always challenge myself and paint/create whatever strikes my fancy at the time. Making a lot of mistakes along the way but always love what I am doing, growing and finding joy in the process. When the weather cooperates, you can find me in my garage pottery studio. I have been creating and selling my pottery since 2020.
New Brunswick Art Salon 2026 – Oil and Mixed Media “Pigmented Perceptions” Exhibition
New Brunswick Art Salon 2025 – Oil, Sculpture, and Mixed Media: “The Mundane in Motion” Exhibition
Education
1980-1984 BS Accounting St. John’s University Queens NY
2009-2013 MAT Montclair State University
Shows/Exhibitions
2025
Studio Montclair “Strength and Resilience”
2024
Montclair Art Museum “Seeing from the Heart”
Studio Montclair “State of the Art”
Studio Montclair “Text”
Studio Montclair “Viewpoints”
West Orange Arts Council “Celebrating African American Elegance”
2023
West Orange Arts Council “A Salute to the Black Soldier”
2022
Montclair Art Museum “Inspired by George Inness”
Clifton Public Library “Art/Literacy Connection”
Studio Montclair “Affair of the Art”
Montclair Art Museum “Art Instructors Spotlight Exhibition”
West Orange Arts Council “Juneteenth”
Rockland County Arts Festival online exhibit
2021
Biafarin International online I Want to Believe exhibit
Montclair Art Museum Fall Festival-Montclair, NJ
St. Vincent’s College Biennial Show-Latrobe, PA
Juneteenth 2021 West Orange Arts Council Black Lives Matter-West Orange, NJ
Art Against Racism: Memorial.Monument.Movement Virtual Exhibition
Bloomfield Township Broad Steps-Bloomfield, NJ
2020
Studio Montclair Windows solo exhibit-Montclair, NJ
2019
Montclair State University Artist Educators Art and Democracy
2018
Montclair State University Artist Educators Leadership in Art
Studio Montclair Discovery in the Detail-Montclair, NJ
2017
Riverdale Public Library-Riverdale, NJ
2014
Saint John’s Art Show-Southampton, NY
Art in the Park-Southampton, NY
2013
Gelato Giuliana-Montclair, NJ
Watchung Book Sellers Funny Side Up-Montclair, NJ
2012
Art Educators of NJ Black and White a Color Study-New Brunswick, NJ
Southampton Cultural Center-Southampton, NY
Ashenfelter, Slous, McDonough & Trevenen LLP-Montclair, NY
Prince Street Gallery-New York, NY
Montclair State University Black and White a Color Study
Glen Ridge Art Patrons Association-Glen Ridge, NJ
Glen Ridge Art Patrons Association-Glen Ridge, NJ
Montclair State University Art Connections 8 George Segal Gallery-Montclair, NJ
Published Works
Fall 2019 Art Beat Magazine Leadership in Art
Fall 2018 Art Beat Magazine Democracy in Art
2013-Present Funny Side Up-Adams Media
2010-Present Bumpybooks Inc-President and Co-creator
October 2013 Glen Ridge Paper Roller Girls
October 2013 Baristanet Roller Girls
June 2013 Montclair State University Student Spotlight
October 2011 Montclair Times Arts Section
April 2011 Cover art Suburban Essex Magazine
May 2009 The Jersey Tomato Press
April 2009 The Rose Moore Show Bumpybooks
June 2008 Cover art Montclair Art Museum Summer Art
March 2008 NY1 News Cable Bumpybooks
February 2008 Suburban Essex Magazine A few Bumps in the Road
April 2007 The Brookly Eagle Bumpybooks
December 2007 Cover art Vicinity Magazine
November 2006 Newark Star Ledger Children’s Books that go Bump
November 2006 Brooklyn Eagle Bumpybooks
June 2006 Cover art Suburban Essex Magazine
June 2004 Cover Art Suburban Essex Magazine
Contact
Website: www.KarenGoldbergArt.com