Karen Allen

Mrs. Allen, a Bardstown native, was born at Flaget Memorial Hospital. She and her husband, Jim, have three children: Ian, Brett, and Rachel. She attended St. Joseph, Bethlehem, Spalding University, and the University of Louisville where she received a BS in Fine Arts with a concentration in Interior Design.While growing up she was very active in 4-H and received many awards, especially in sewing.

Mrs. Allen has been teaching art for several years at St. Joseph and substitute teaching in the Bardstown School System. Mrs. Allen is a Kentucky Certified Substitute Teacher and has many hours of training for special needs children. She has been involved with art most of her life in one form or another. Her great-great-grandmother, an artist, taught at Nazareth College. ” I guess it is in my genes,” she says. She enjoys painting and reading. Her strangest job was working as a maid at Hagan Townhouse Motel one summer. “It was an eye-opening experience,” she says. Her favorite vacation was when she and her husband took the kids on a houseboat trip where they swam, fished, kayaked and tubed all week. A favorite childhood memory of hers is of playing badminton on summer nights with her family.

She cites Phyllis Passafuime as a positive influence on her life. “She really challenged me to go further with my art.” On a more personal level she names Mrs Rae Phillips as a very positive influence and her favorite teacher of all time. Mrs. Allen also credits Mary Crum Spalding for giving her advice and guidance in taking this position at St. Joseph. Her favorite part of teaching is working with students who give an honest effort. “They may not be the most talented artist, but everyone has an artist inside waiting to express themselves, if they will just let it,” she says. She advises them that they need to practice art. “It’s like anything else, the more you try…the better you get.” Her favorite quote is “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he/she grows up.” Pablo Picasso

 

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