Karen Lopez is a mosaic mixed media assemblage artist born in Southern California and currently residing in Nevada. She was born in 1984. Her B.A. in fine arts was received at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. She has always been fascinated with mixed media as it allows for more freedom of expression in her work. Her concept involves manipulating the traditional purpose, conceptions, and common subject matter depicted in the ancient medium of the mosaic art form into a more modern and relatable version of Surrealism. The artist that influenced her the most is the Surrealist artist Frida Kahlo. Through each self portrait, she is attempting to create her own narratives using easily recognizable objects such as locked hearts and keys to convey her reality based on her experiences in dealing with lifelong depression. She is exploring the concept that people are born whole then life splinters them into pieces. With each piece, she is attempting to put herself back together utilizing both figurative as well as abstract imagery. She experiments with layering mosaic glass creating depth and more complexity to elevate glass work as a more credible fine art form.