Karen Chandler has painted book covers that millions of readers recognize, oil canvases that hang in the Pentagon and original murals on downtown Sarasota buildings. Residents can meet her and shop her latest work at The Bazaar On Apricot & Lime, the indoor gift market at 821 Apricot Ave.
Chandler, who runs Karen Chandler Fine Art, appeared on WWSB's "Suncoast View" on July 16 to showcase summer-themed original artwork, tote bags and T-shirts she's selling at the boutique.
She has created covers for Random House, Simon & Schuster, Ballantine Books and Bantam Books, including several Agatha Christie series, R.L. Stine's Goosebumps children's series and the Victoria Thompson Murder Mystery series, according to her artist biography at karenchandlerfineart.com.
The work extends well beyond bookshelves. Chandler was selected for the NASA and U.S. Air Force Art Programs, and her original oil paintings hang in the Deputy Director's office at the Kennedy Space Center, the Pentagon and the National Aviation Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. In 2021, she was recognized as a fellow of The Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood.
Sarasota residents may know her best for "Sarasota Heroes," the 20-by-24-foot mural she painted on the Raw Sugar building at 1717 Second St. in downtown Sarasota. Unveiled May 15, 2020, the mural was commissioned by Sarasota Magazine and the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County to honor local health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the ribbon cutting, Sarasota Memorial Hospital nurses stopped by for selfies, and then-City Manager Tom Barwin expressed interest in commissioning five additional downtown murals, Sarasota Magazine reported at the time.
On her website, Chandler describes her path to professional art as years of "traditional training in oil painting, photography, design and computer studies (interspersed with bartending and a variety of other day jobs)."
Residents can visit Chandler's booth at The Bazaar On Apricot & Lime every Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market houses more than 40 local artists and creators, features live music every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. and offers an outdoor patio, free parking and ADA-accessible facilities. Hamlet's Eatery food truck is on site. The shop can be reached at 941-445-1938.
Upcoming at The Bazaar On Apricot & Lime:
- Limelight Market Saturdays event: July 25. The market at 821 Apricot Ave. hosts rotating vendors and live music in its courtyard.
