. .
.
About K Walker Art
My name is Karen Walker and I am an acrylic artist specializing in commissioned pet and animal portraits. With a passion for capturing the unique personality and essence of each animal, I create custom, hand-painted (not AI) acrylic paintings that celebrate the bond between pets and their owners. Each piece is a heartfelt tribute to the unconditional love and joy that animals bring to our lives. Through my art, I hope to bring happiness and cherished memories to pet owners everywhere.
Ordering information available on Contact page.
A Visual Artist with a Visual Glitch
. .
.
You may notice that I sign my paintings incorporating 3 dots with my signature. About 4 years ago I developed, almost overnight, a debilitating neurological condition called Visual Snow Syndrome. It is named for its most predominant symptom of "visual snow" which appears as static similar to static from an old television... flickering dots and flashing lights seen 24/7, whether eyes are opened or closed. I also have most of the other symptoms associated with this condition which are too many to list here, but include constant after images (palinopsia), visual distortions, enhanced entoptic phenomena, nausea, 24/7 tinnitus, anxiety/depression, and impaired night vision (which has affected my ability to drive at night). It often keeps me in a "fight-or-flight" response to normal, everyday events... a life-changing experience. Since it is a condition of the brain and not the eyes, it is often described as the loss of the filter which keeps you from actually seeing the inner workings of your eyes and optic nerves.
It can be isolating too, as few doctors are currently familiar with Visual Snow Syndrome, though more are obtaining the training to diagnose it every day. Many researchers think an uptick in cases, which heightened awareness, appeared with long-Covid. There are numerous universities and medical research centers all over the world doing amazing research to find the possible causes and cures for this exhausting condition. Getting back to painting has been one of my essential therapies. Though it can be very difficult to paint for extended periods of time, the focus on painting has helped dramatically. I added the 3 dots to my signature to help raise awareness for VSS. If you would like more information on Visual Snow Syndrome, please visit https://visualsnowinitiative.org