Artist Karen Hartnell is based in the beautiful small county of Kinross-shire, calling Scotland home since 2003, having been born and raised in Hampshire, England. The move to Scotland inspired a return to art.
It’s a dog’s life
Sharing childhood years with the family’s West Highland Terriers, Karen finally become the owner of her own dog in 2004; a chocolate Labrador called Corbie. A second Lab, Logie, arrived in early 2017. Sadly, there was the heartbreaking goodbye to Corbie on Christmas morning 2017, a wonderful, much-missed family member.
Dog training and tricks
Since 2019, Karen has been learning from world renowned educator in all things canine, Susan Garrett, and in early 2024 joined Susan’s DogsThat coaching team. Karen teaches some fun tricks, including painting, in one of DogsThat online membership programs, Wag Nation.
In 2023, Karen qualified as a Certified Trick Dog Instructor, showing proven skill at training a dog (using positive reinforcement); sound knowledge of dog training technique as evaluated on exams; and demonstrate ability to communicate training techniques to students.
Karen and her Lab have, so far, gained the Do More With Your Dog! (the official sanctioning body of dog trick titles) Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert Trick Dog titles and the Novice, Intermediate and Advanced Masters titles.
As well as tricks, the pair have dabbled in the sport of Hoopers, earning their Foundation, Bronze and Silver levels of the CHUK Online Good Hoopers Awards.
Horses
Growing up, Karen was horse-obsessed, and owned a wonderful, if mischievous, bay Welsh Mountain Section A called Bobby Breeze. After many years out of the horse world, in 2023 she became a micro shareholder in stunning racehorse King Of Answers. Sadly, that syndicate folded in 2025, but Karen still enjoys watching King run, as well as owning a “whisker” in Killybegs Jet Lady, Kingston James, Spadestep (all trained by Grand National winning trainer Lucinda Russell, local to Karen), At Vimeiro (Ben Haslam Racing) and Paddy De Pole (Paul Nicholls Racing).
Wildlife and landscapes
Although living in stunning Scotland, it has also been a lifelong dream of Karen’s to visit the Yorkshire Dales – big fan of James Herriot’s books and the TV series All Creatures Great and Small. Karen finally set her walking boots upon the Dales in 2024 and hasn’t been able to keep away since! New landscape painting inspiration has ensued, so be sure to check out the Landscape gallery. Each piece of dales art work is likely to feature an iconic stone field barn (known as cow’us in Swaledale), as shown in the photo below of several at Gunnerside, Swaledale.
Moving to Scotland rekindled Karen’s passion for wildlife, with many incredible encounters, and it is these memories that will often spark an idea for a painting.
Karen has spent many hours in the company of all creatures great and small and aims for her love of the natural world to show through in her work. A piece of art may even trigger a memory of a special wildlife encounter you have had.
From 2014 to 2017, Karen volunteered with the RSPB, helping to keep watch over a pair of White-tailed Eagles. A selection of her artwork was on display at the RSPB Sea Eagle Festival in 2017, celebrating 10 years since the East of Scotland reintroduction.
Editorial design
Karen has been putting her art skills to use as Editorial Designer for The Household Cavalry Journal and the Household Division’s The Guards Magazine for over 10 years.
She has also designed a book written by friend and fellow dog owner, Liz Devonport: Unleash Your Inner Superhero: Techniques for Dog Sports Competitors to Eliminate Anxiety available from Amazon here
Interested in a Pet Portrait Commission?
Contact Karen by email at karen@portraitsofpets.co.uk or portraitspets@aol.com with your requirements.
On Karen’s website you can view full details of the commission process and price guides, as well as downloadable PDF with the information for easy reference.