Artist Karen Kanas, known as KVK, is a Chicago born artist based in Los Angeles with a multi- disciplinary background in the arts. She attended college at the Performing Arts Center, Barat College of DePaul University where she studied theatre and developed her significant skills in theatrical design. She was introduced to artist Marc Chagall while working at the Art Institute of Chicago, and instantly related to his life and work. Chagall once said "I adore the theater and I am a painter. I think the two are made for a marriage of love.”

Kanas’s background in the performing arts has shaped her artistic development, and can be seen through her work - her ability to achieve depth and setting in each piece. She works mainly with acrylics on canvas and her pieces range from landscapes to figure studies. KVK creates a custom palate for each composition and uses one dominant color that takes precedence throughout the piece. She deliberately engages both traditional and innovative techniques, incorporating elements of impressionism with abstraction, as she continues to push her skills and broaden her artistic range. KVK has participated in a significant number of group and solo exhibitions around the United States, and has won several impressive awards for her work.