Hi, I’m Karie, a writer and artist (she/her; “Luidens” rhymes with “guidance”). My roots are in upstate New York and West Michigan, but over the years I’ve also lived and worked in Rennes, Lille, Seattle, Albuquerque, and now Pittsburgh.
Back in college, when I was getting my BA in fine art, I practically lived in the painting studio. A recipient of my alma mater’s Distinguished Artist Award, I showed work in multiple juried exhibitions.
In the decade that followed graduation, I put aside my artistic practice to pursue writing as a journalist, essayist, and marketing professional. As a freelance writer, I specialized in arts and culture reporting, science writing, literary criticism, and personal essays. My work has been featured in The Independent UK, Downtown Albuquerque News, Southwestness, ABQ Free Press, Geekly Inc, and an assortment of literary publications.
I also put myself through grad school, earning my MA in English literature along with several Graduate Dean’s Citations for my contribution to the field. My master’s thesis delved into the relationships between religion, science, and literature in Walt Whitman’s poetry.
2024 marks the release of my first book by Left Field Publishers. Part memoir, part novel, In the End offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of God as seen through the eyes of a child.
During these years of writing, I was gradually drawn back to visual arts. In 2022, I decided to break out the brushes again—along with pen and ink, watercolors, oils, and even some metallic craft paint. I now maintain a studio at Radiant Hall, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that fosters a vibrant community of artists across the region.
If you’re interested in connecting, I look forward to hearing from you.