Karen Offutt was born and raised in Dallas, Texas by a creative family who encouraged her to explore her artistic talent from an early age. Her father is an artist and her mother is a designer and owner of a needlepoint company. Throughout her formative years, Karen excelled in art classes and participated in several art exhibits. She studied at North Texas State University in search of a more formal fine arts education. As a young adult she sought a more serious outlet for her talent.
The turning point in her career came when she made the decision to study abroad and committed herself to becoming a fine artist.