Born in Germany in 1939, Karl spent his younger years in picturesque Bavaria, surrounded by sparkling lakes, dramatic hills, misty forests, and the majestic Alps — the ideal setting to develop his love for nature. When he was a teen, Karl’s family moved to the U.S., where his dad worked in the aerospace industry.
Missing their beautiful homeland, Karl’s parents would ask him to paint pictures of something from Bavaria, which he gladly did with water paints, crayons, or whatever was available. Though he had never been exposed to art at this stage in his life, he continued to create paintings as his parents asked, leading to his natural passion for plein air painting.
In California, Karl went on to become the first All-American athlete at Cal State Northridge and earned a graduate degree at USC. For the most part, except for some work at Art Center School of Design and a few workshops, Karl is a self-taught artist. He always painted just for fun, and even has some of his paintings dating back to his teenage years.
He started his career as a teacher, filmmaker, and photographer. Having only painted for fun, he never really imagined himself as a full-time, working artist, even though that dream was always there.
After being laid off from the corporate world and considered too old for other photography jobs, Karl experienced a major turning point in his life.
He had what he calls “the bug.” Though he’d never sold a painting, he declared to his wife that he was going to be a full-time artist.
Fast forward to now, and you’ll find Karl to be one of today’s most successful and celebrated artists. His exhibitions, collections, and awards number in the hundreds. He’s a sought-after artist and instructor who loves to share what he knows in a way you can easily learn from and apply.
Here’s just a glimpse into this video with Karl: