Karen worked as an apprentice to a Master Taxidermist for three years specializing in birds and small mammals. She also worked at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC where she helped to set up the Discovery Room, an interactive space for children and adults. After that she owned and operated Just Desserts, a small retail bakery on the upper east side of Manhattan in New York City.

After establishing the bakery and getting many write ups in New York Magazine and the New York times, Karen sold the bakery and then went into ceramics. She became the Director of the Ceramics Program at Marymount Manhattan College in NYC where she taught , managed the Ceramic Program and maintained the running of the ceramic studio for over 20 years. Karen started painting almost exclusively about two years ago and recently discovered encaustic art. She became captivated by the richness and intensity of this sensual medium.

As a former ceramic sculptor she found the versatility of encaustic wax particularly appealing in that it has the quality of translucent clay. There are endless techniques and innumerable materials that can be combined with encaustic wax.

Karen Adelaar lives and works in both New York City and Dutchess County, New York where she maintains studios at both locations.