Out of these discoveries, Angels' Rest was born - which is the name they christened their home in Rocky Point, North Carolina. The pond and the gardens of Angels' Rest provides an inspiration and a love that they share with anyone willing to become part of that experience.

Artist Statement
It wasn't until formal art training in undergraduate school that Karen realized the sources of her inspirations and direction in her creative endeavours. Forming an unspoken kinship with early Eastern sumi painters and watercolorists, as well as modern potters, she let her creative urges lead her where they may. She found herself drawn to ceramic sculpture and a combination of watercolor painting and technical pen work. Her works attained a harmony and balance that gave her a tremendous sense of peace. Coupled with a spiritual reawakening, her drawings, paintings, and sculptures lured and challenged their admirers to search their souls.

Realizing the Hawaiian, Japanese, and Cherokee blood that flowed through her, she found new sources of inspiration and strived to combine them with what she already knew. Taking up highspeed engraving and the task of learning this new art form, she spent weeks in creating designs that would not only sell but designs that she would be proud to call her own. Initially working on glass, porcelain, metals, and stoneware, she happened upon a website dedicated to egging where she soon learned of eggshell sculpting. Intrigued and enthralled, Karen soon found herself working on this new medium and now works primarily on eggshells of all sizes.

Throughout her engraving, Karen has found herself fighting an uphill battle to stay motivated and inspired while battling the effects of the diseases that impair her mobility and cause deterioration of her nervous system. With the help of her many egging friends, friendships formed over the internet and through her work, as well as by the grace of God, she believes that she'll be able to attain her personal goals - keeping her faith, reaching ever higher plateaus with her creations, and using her creations to benefit others.