Karlene Marie Spencer grew up in the beautiful interior of British Columbia. After completing her B.F.A in visual arts at Thompson Rivers University, she moved to Vancouver in 2004 to pursue a B.Ed in Art Education at the University of British Columbia. As an art educator who became specialized in arts-integration practices, Karlene has spent over a decade inspiring young people to discover their inner artist. A strong advocate for the arts, Karlene led the development of an Arts-Infused Program at a Lower Mainland independent school placing the arts a core component of the curriculum. After recently completing a Master's in Art Education with a focus in Creative Leadership, Karlene is took a break from teaching to spent time on her art and to create ARTSWELL. She hopes to extend her passion for the arts with the wider community. Over the years Karlene explored a variety of mediums including cement and metal sculpture, photography, and painting. She is currently working on a series of acrylic wave paintings for future exhibition. Upon request Karlene is available for commission as an acrylic painter, artist in residence, and as a consultant for schools and educators wishing to integrate the arts into their core curriculum. Karlene is now teaching art within the public education system.