June 2025 - Karen Busch Holman

The Rochester Public Library is pleased to present the work of artist and children's book illustrator Karen Busch Holman during the month of June on the First Floor of the Library.

Artist and children’s book illustrator, Karen Busch Holman, has been painting since childhood, surrounded by a family of artists. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts, was a Ford Foundation Scholarship recipient in studio art, as well as a Student Grant Fellowship recipient for her thesis in Interior Architecture. Karen has won many awards for her work including the competition for the New Hampshire “Heirloom Birth Certificate.” Karen works in several mediums, such as watercolor, pen and ink and pencil, and a recently developed love of oils and acrylics. Karen’s works have been accepted into many national watercolor society juried exhibitions, The New England Watercolor Society, The Northeast Watercolor Society, The New Jersey Watercolor Society, the National Equine Academy Juried Exhibition in Kentucky, and the New Jersey Equine Academy Juried Exhibition, Basking Ridge, NJ.

In 2001, Karen illustrated her first children’s book, “G is for Granite” written by Marie Harris. Since then, she has illustrated 26 children’s books with 3 new books coming out this year.

Karen recently completed a large exhibit called “Little Farmers” for the Children’s Museum of Dover, NH. This was her second exhibit created for the museum. Karen divides her time between working in her home studio and her art studio at the Christmas Dove in Barrington, NH. She lives with her husband, Jeff, and a lively collection of farm animals. She is currently writing and illustrating a new children’s book, “Bear’s Bell”, based on the Christmas Dove’s store cat, Portland, and Karen’s miniature horse, Little Bear. The book is currently in production and will be available in September.  karenbuschholman.com