Art by Karen I Coates

Art by Karen I Coates Contemporary painter blending bold color, symbolism, and storytelling. Each piece is an invitation to find beauty and courage in the face of challenge.

My art explores transformation, resilience, hope—drawing from personal journeys, universal dreams. I was born in San José, Costa Rica, and moved to Miami, Florida with my family at the age of six. My artistic journey began by watching my father—an upholsterer and drapery maker—draw in his free time. Sitting beside him on the floor, I developed a deep love for visual expression. My two brothers and

I all pursued careers in the arts, and creativity remains a shared thread in our lives. Throughout my youth, I was actively involved in art competitions and projects. At twelve, I was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and How Magazine, and my work was published statewide. These early honors led to my acceptance into elite arts schools, including the prestigious Design and Architecture Senior High (D.A.S.H.) in Miami, where I studied Art and Fashion Design. Since then, I’ve built a life and career rooted entirely in art. From painting children’s rooms to mastering faux finishes for luxury interiors, I’ve honed my skills across many surfaces. In 2015, I returned to canvas, developing a signature style called StrataLife—a layered fusion of modern, contemporary, and semi-abstract techniques using acrylics, metallics, plasters, and 24kt gold leaf. My pieces explore emotion, empowerment, and the human condition, always through a lens of bold beauty. My work has exhibited globally and lives in collections across four continents.

What has your art collection taught you?Not about art history or markets but about your own taste, your spaces, the way ...
06/23/2026

What has your art collection taught you?

Not about art history or markets but about your own taste, your spaces, the way you spend your attention.

"M Peach" is part of an ongoing conversation on my side of the screen.

I would genuinely like to hear what you have learned.

https://www.kicarts.com

Happy Father's Day. To the fathers, the father figures, the ones who showed up in whatever form that took. Cheers.Featur...
06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day. To the fathers, the father figures, the ones who showed up in whatever form that took. Cheers.

Featuring " " today in the gallery.

https://www.kicarts.com

When people move house, they make a hierarchy without realizing it. Some things get donated, some get stored, some make ...
06/19/2026

When people move house, they make a hierarchy without realizing it.

Some things get donated, some get stored, some make the journey regardless of whether they make logical sense in the new space.

Art almost always travels. It is rarely the practical choice that moves with you. It is the things that meant something. Has that been true for you?

What have you moved more than once, and would "Kiss me" make that list?

https://www.kicarts.com

People sometimes feel they need to be able to articulate why they want a particular work before they are allowed to buy ...
06/17/2026

People sometimes feel they need to be able to articulate why they want a particular work before they are allowed to buy it. That is not how it works.

The attraction does not need a defense. You do not have to be able to explain Desire to someone who asks; you just have to know it belongs in your space.

The explanation, if you want one, tends to arrive later on its own.

https://www.kicarts.com

Every work that reaches a collector is the result of many decisions, including the decision not to show what came before...
06/16/2026

Every work that reaches a collector is the result of many decisions, including the decision not to show what came before it.

The finished work is not the whole story. It is the end of a longer, quieter process that most collectors never see.

When you live with Illusion, you are living with the result of the artistic process and all that comes with it.

https://www.kicarts.com

Interior designers often talk about sightlines. They're the natural path your eye travels when you enter or move through...
06/12/2026

Interior designers often talk about sightlines. They're the natural path your eye travels when you enter or move through a room.

Most people never think about this consciously, but they feel it. Art placed directly in a sightline changes a room immediately.

Placement is as intentional as the work itself.

Where would you put Unity Dance?

https://www.kicarts.com

A lot of people hold off on collecting art because they rent and feel uncertain about committing to walls they do not ow...
06/10/2026

A lot of people hold off on collecting art because they rent and feel uncertain about committing to walls they do not own. But art does not belong to a wall. It belongs to you.

Renting is not a reason to live with bare walls. It is a reason to collect work that matters enough to keep moving (and growing) with you.

"ICEEU ISEEU" and my other work are connected to the people who love them, not just the places they're displayed.

https://www.kicarts.com

Address

Longview, TX
75601–75606

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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