practicing artist since high school, Hegglin got the idea to teach when she painted with her grandchildren and their friends. After researching Early Childhood Education and Art Methods she launched Karen’ s Art Zone in Morgan Hill in 2001. Four years later she became a certified instructor of Monart— a teaching methodology founded and named for Mona Brookes that gives children structured information to improve visual perception and realistic drawing skills. She believes everyone can do art. Regardless of the perceived results, it’ s whether they enjoy the journey. She enjoys her adult students, but the younger students are special to her.

“ It’ s so fun seeing their delight and satisfaction,” Hegglin said.“ They start out saying they can’ t do it and when they’ ve done it, they are so tickled.”

Hegglin was born in Berkeley while her father was a student at the University of California. Her family moved every few years as her father pursued teaching opportunities in various California cities including Newman, Castro Valley, and Gilroy before settling in Morgan Hill in 1959, where he taught mathematics at Live Oak High School and coached football and wrestling.

Per Hegglin’ s website, her love of art began at an early age when she‘ was allowed to make mud pies.’ Loving to sketch, she recalled how her school assignments would be turned in with drawings in the margins. That love blossomed at Live Oak High School, during her father’ s tenure, when she took as many art courses as she was allowed. She recalled her high school art instructor letting students do their own thing, encouraging experimentation and allowing collaborative work with classmates.

“ That’ s when I was introduced to watercolors. I loved how the paint hit the wet paper and burst out where it wanted to go. To me it was magical.”

After high school Hegglin took art courses at Gavilan College before marrying a local ranch manager and raising three daughters.

Though slowed somewhat with the responsibilities of a family, she honed her watercolor skills over the years. She took lessons from renowned watercolor artist Mike Bailey and studied with local artist Diane Wallace, as well as nationally recognized watercolorists Mel Stabin, Tom Lynch, and Mary Whyte— one of her favorite artists along with French Impressionists Claude Monet and Pierre- Auguste Renoir.

After trying a variety of mediums, she settled on watercolor painting. She experimented with abstract art, but is most comfortable with a representational style. Her subjects are varied, including still lifes, landscapes and flowers.

She is especially fond of painting portraits, noting that every face tells a story. In 2016, Hegglin did a portrait of Mayor Kouemon Ishiuka of Mizuho Machi, Morgan Hill’ s sister city in Japan. The portrait was commissioned by Murv and Judy Little, while entertaining Mr. Ishiuka during his visit.

As a member of Valle de Sur Art Guild she has exhibited in the Guild’ s various events and has held exhibits at various shows. An exhibit of works by her students will be on display at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center from April 1 to April 30, 2017.

To view a sampling of Karen Leso Hegglin’ s art work and learn more about Karen’ s Art Zone, check her website at karensartzone. com.

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MARCH / APRIL 2017 gmhtoday. com

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