"Conservation through Appreciation" is the tagline of Karen Talbot Art, but it goes a lot deeper than some copy of her business cards. Talbot believes in giving back to the species and landscapes from which she draws her inspiration. "Often it's no more or no less than having a conversation with a person who stops to look at my work at an art show," says Karen. "They may not have known, for example, that the golden trout that caught their eye is the California state freshwater fish and that it now only exists in 10 percent of its native habitat due, in large part, to habitat destruction and invasive species." If this inspires that person to think in a new way about conservation, I feel like I have accomplished much of what I set out to achieve through my art."

"Working with programs such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch and the Ocean Institute's Artist by the Sea, as well as many other conservation-minded programs to which I have donated artwork or portions of my proceeds, I have an opportunity to extend the conversation about conservation and sustainability to a wider audience, while also introducing my clients to these invaluable programs."