Karen Lastre

Karen Lastre, age 77, passed away February 18, 2018 after a brief illness. Karen was born in Anoka, MN on September 10, 1940 to Ruth and Alexander Kober. She is survived by her beloved husband of 36 years, Bernardo Lastre, her beloved sister, Cheryl "Sherri" Esterby, her children Michael (Carol) Belisle, Denise Belisle, Mark (Cara)and grandchildren Harley and Isabella Belisle. Karen is preceded in death by her ex-husband Roger Belisle. Karen was raised in Minneapolis and developed a natural talent for drawing which lead to painting and later enjoying classes at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX. Karen's art was featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Solo exhibitions in Austin, TX, Dallas, TX Santa Fe, NM, Houston, TX and Cheekwood College Cheekwood Museum, Nashville, TN, New York, NY. She was also a finalist (second place) for the Hunting Art Prize 2008 merit cash award National Contemporary Painting competition Cheekwood Museum of Art (Kenneth Nolland, Curator). Her work found homes in the corporate collections: All State, Baker Bots LLP, Ametech, IBM, Tivoli Systems and Shwab. Karen relocated to Houston, TX in 1965 and became interested in abstract expressionism art and was drawn to abstract artists Morris Louis, Helen Frankenthaler, Paul Jenkins and Mark Rothko. In 1975 while pursuing her business career she became the first female purchasing agent for the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) for the Western Hemisphere managing million dollar contracts. For the past 18 years Karen maintained a studio at Art Square Studios on South Main in Houston, TX where she continued to paint until the last year of her life. "You paint with your heart on your sleeve" Toby Camps, Contemporary Curator of Menil Collection 2014

Service Information

February 25, 2018 2:00pm, Art Square Studios