Support for Conservation: 
As an Artist, citizen-scientist and naturalist, I jump at opportunities to get into the field and work with wildlife. I have assisted professionals in various ways. I enjoy seeing wildlife up close and learning more about their behaviors, environments and needs. I take my experiences back to the studio and work from photos and memories.

Sketch for Survival 2018-  I created Gorongosa Lion (drawing) which will be donated to the Sketch for Survival campaign raising awareness and funds for wildlife conservation. I am one of many artists participating in this collaboration of art and conservation. The funds collected from the sales of donated art are used for on the ground projects of conservation which have included anti -poaching projects, evacuations of orphaned elephants, and more. Together we can make a difference to endangered animals facing extinction. For more information: www.sketchforsurvival.co.uk

Intermountain Bird Observatory 2017 – Raptor and Vulture Surveys in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, Africa. One of the many skills of an artist includes recognizing shapes and color which lends itself well to spotting and identifying birds in the wild. In 2017, I volunteered my time as a raptor spotter to the Intermountain Bird Observatory. The job was to record sightings of vultures and raptors in areas of Gorongosa National Park. A park that is now recovering from the destruction of many years of war and poaching. Although I had only rare times to sketch, it filled me with inspiration and knowledge to build on back in my studio.

July 15 - Sept 15, 2014- Karyn volunteered as a citizen- scientist for Migres Foundation of Spain in monitoring the migration of raptors, passerines and assisting in the annunal banding /ringing of flamingos at the Strait of Gibraltar.

In 2014, Karyn donated 17% of sales of 'Passing Passerines" Giclee mini-print to the Intermountain (Idaho) Bird Observatory to aid their efforts in inspiring and educating all ages to songbirds and raptors.

Art for Conservation/ Fine Print Imaging- As an Art for Conservation member I pledged 5% of print sales to deserving conservation organizations. Art for Conservation showcased independent conservation artists and promoted sales of high quality Giclee’ art prints. 

Black Swift Surveys- In 2013 Karyn volunteered as a citizen- scientist for nine days in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest searching and discovering new breeding sites for this critically imperiled species of Black Swift. Her work enabled prioritization for conservation.

Wild Lens Inc. (www.wildlensinc.org)– In 2013 Karyn donated a Giclee’ print of her work ‘Me!! Mtn. Bluebird’ for the fundraising kickstarter of ‘Bluebird Man’ a conservation film of Al Larson’s lifetime role in the successful recovery of bluebirds directed by Neil Paproki. www.wildlensinc.org/bluebirdman

Children’s Vulture Painting –International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) at The World Center Birds of Prey (WCBP) www.peregrinefund.org 2011 and 2012 – Karyn organized and led a children’s painting project encouraging children to add their creative strokes of acrylic paint to canvas in a group painting of a Vulture. This project was initiated by Dr. Munir Virani –TPF Africa, and based on an IVAD children’s painting activity in Kenya. Karyn also duplicated the project for a ‘Family Day’ activity at WCBP in 2011. She is proud to have played a part of connecting young people to art, wildlife and conservation. 

‘Passing Passerines –IBO Migrants’ Wall Mural 2012 - At the request of field biologists at the Idaho Bird Observatory (IBO) www.idahobirdobservatory.boisestate.edu - Karyn created the painting ‘Passing Passerines –IBO Migrants’. Influenced by the C. Harper painting ‘Mystery of the Missing Migrants’, this painting portrays migrating songbirds in flight that are banded for conservation research at the IBO banding station on Lucky Peak, in the Foothills of Boise, Idaho. Karyn donated the image to IBO and through a collaboration of IBO and Hewlett Packard it was printed into a wall mural for the IBO Office on the Boise State University campus. The painting is very approachable and usable as an educational tool. She currently pledges 5% of Giclee Print sales of ‘Passing Passerines’ to IBO. The Idaho Bird Observatory is a non-profit research unit of Boise State University whose mission is to contribute to the conservation of western migratory landbirds through cooperative research and public education. Karyn’s hope is that the songbirds in ‘Passing Passerines-IBO Migrants’ continue to enrich the skies as they are all worth protecting and preserving.

Team Goshawk Volunteer Field work with Goshawks 2011 and 2012- Karyn helped to locate and study Goshawk nests for an ongoing study of the Northern Goshawk population in the South Hills of the Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho. She then created and donated t-shirt designs each year for the team.

Golden Eagle Audubon – Karyn donated images of her watercolor paintings of local birds for use in making note cards for her local chapter Golden Eagle Audubon Society. 

East African Ecology trip to Kenya 2010- Karyn joined a Boise State University group to Study raptors and raptor ecology at Lake Naivasha, Kenya. This lake is an important bird area and Ramsar site. www.ramsar.org. It is also the home of the largest population of African Fish Eagles in the world. She was in awe to see and learn of the numbers of wildlife dependent on this lake. She learned of the devastation caused to the wildlife and habitat on this area by the impact of the flower industry and the growing human population that survives on game and lake resources - an ecosystem on the brink of collapse. One deep impacting lesson she learned was the need to find solutions to balancing people’s simple needs to survive with conserving wildlife and the ecosystem. Her experience of encounters with the wildlife in and around Lake Naivasha can be seen in her African Series of paintings.

Earthwatch 2006 www.earthwatch.org – Karyn participated in a Citizen Science project in the conservation of the Leatherback Turtle. Lead by Biologists, her team collected data on Leatherback Turtles and relocated nests doomed to ocean erosion. Working at night, she and her team mates caught turtle eggs as they were laid, then relocated them to safer sand. Karyn found it fascinating to work with this endangered turtle. The opportunity not only was an educational experience but allowed her a few opportunities to sketch Leatherback Turtles in moonlight.