A prolific, award-winning artist, Karen Schuman founded the Dancing Krow Studio in 1996, a recognized gallery and studio space in Oak Park, Illinois, that hosts many celebrated multimedia artists and creators. Ms. Schuman initially desired to establish the studio after she and her husband acknowledged the need to revitalize the community of Oak Park, where they both owned properties. As such, while the neighborhood was experiencing an economic decline, Ms. Schuman collaborated with a local community activist to create art galleries in vacant commercial spaces outside of Chicago. First titled “The Art House,” Dancing Krow Studio was formed when the duo rented two storefronts to host local artists. The studio is currently well-regarded for its display of unique artwork such as paintings, works on paper, and three-dimensional pieces. Ms. Schuman proudly displays her own fiber artwork at the studio.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Schuman was a personal assistant and junior accounts manager at the Garfield-Linn Advertising Agency between 1981 and 1983. She also pursued formal education, having completed secretarial and administrative assistant coursework at Robert Morris College and studied oil painting at the Edward Cathiony Studio of Fine Art. Notably, Ms. Schuman’s artistic studies established the foundation for the rest of her career, having learned several techniques in painting that refined her talents.
Congruent to her professional path, Ms. Schuman has been a committed member of the Oak Park Arts District, where she has aided in hosting artistic workshops for community members who are without housing. To honor her achievements, she has also won many accolades. In this regard, she has been featured in 11 editions of the “American Art Collector Book” and received a second-place prize from the Art League of Oak Park, Illinois, in 2023. She previously earned the first-place prize in 2021.
In the coming years, Ms. Schuman aims to continue excelling in her work at the Dancing Krow Studio. Ultimately, she wishes to engage herself more intimately in her spiritual development in the arts and help other artistic individuals learn to live in harmony with nature and their natural environments. In her free time, Ms. Schuman enjoys gardening, walking, hiking, and traveling.