Karen McEndoo was born in Carshalton in Surrey but her early life was spent in Africa which has had a tremendous influence on her work, inspired particularly by the rich colours, designs and the music. She trained as a graphic designer/illustrator in Taunton but her work has evolved into a more expressive and abstract form of painting. Science and nature are huge influences and she is an avid lover of nature. Many artists find the idea of a blank canvas daunting and I am no exception. My first task is to break down the whiteness by putting down a base colour which, because of the nature of my work, shines through and becomes an intrinsic part, uniting the picture as a whole.