Karen Talbott

A second generation San Jose native, Mrs. T obtained her undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences with minors in business and psychology from San Jose State University. She has completed training with Art Vistas, Inc., the Getty Museum of Resources for the Classroom, Stanford University, Faux Masters, the Day Studios and the Lawrence Hall of Science. She has three children, two boys and a girl, and like many working parents her employment history has not followed a straight path. She worked her way through high school and college with the Marriott Corporation at Great America and from there became the Director of Retail Operations at the San Francisco Zoo. When her first child was born, she consulted in retail management and package design for a bay area toy company and then began teaching both science and art at the Youth Science Institute and Holy Family School. As her three kids started seriously competing in swimming and water polo, she needed more schedule freedom to travel with them, so she began a decorative painting business, Pigments of Imagination. While she still enjoys creating paint and Italian plaster finishes for clients that are remodeling or building their homes, her passion is teaching. As a part time art teacher, she hopes to inspire all SJMV students to investigate, appreciate and create. In her free time, Mrs. T enjoys her family, her dog Murphy, sports, gardening, and of course, arts and crafts.