Karen Concepcion• The art & business of being a woman

MANILA, Philippines - Most of the time, art and business are portrayed as two very different paths. One road is often trekked by free-spirited bohemians, while the other, by more serious, strategic individuals. But where most people have to choose between the two, Karen Concepcion cements herself at the crossroads. And that’s where she intends to stay for the rest of time.  

“My painting found me. It’s a source of pleasure,” gushes Karen about her art. This artist has been “found” at the age of four, when she started to paint different worlds more colorful than ours. Like many a first love though, her affair with the paintbrush came to a temporary halt at some point in her life.  “In a way, I took it for granted. I found other things that I liked doing,” she admits.

Among of these other interests is horseback riding. To this day, Karen makes sure to ride around five times a week. But like many determined lovers, art soon found itself courting Karen again. When the opportunity to train under the tutelage of painter Stella Rojas came, Karen’s heart instructed her to draw once more. To date, she has held 17 exhibits in some of the country’s top art destinations, including the Ayala Museum.

These days, Karen finds herself painting subjects that are close to her heart. A trained equestrienne, she paints striking images of horses, as well as landscapes and seascapes that make a perfect backdrop to these noble creatures. Kois have also found their way to this artist’s canvas, with the complexities of depicting their elegant movement in water challenging her.

Karen also proves that the left side of her brain is just as active as the right. For starters, she owns the most awarded Jollibee franchised branch in the country. Located at Metro Point Mall, it touts nine Gold-Star ratings and is deemed a model franchise by the fast food conglomerate.

She also ventured into appliances five years ago, when she became the exclusive distributor of the Italian appliance brand Smeg in the Philippines.

With both sides of her brain constantly at work, Karen maintains that it would still be her heart that remains to be her most valued asset. It is the same heart that beats for her husband of 20 years, Condura’s Ton Concepcion, and their five children. “We’re a simple family, and I’m the typical, busy working mom. The time I spend with my family is precious,” she says. Karen adds that she paints with her children whenever they can.

“My kids are growing up so fast and some of them now go out with friends, or go to trips on their own. When it happens, I get a little nervous. I can’t sleep well if they’re not all home,” she says with laughter.

With her goals in check and a heart full of love, Karen Concepcion has left no stone unturned in perfecting the art and business of being a woman.