About MeI'm an illustrator and visual artist. Originally from Ontario, I have lived in Québec and Manitoba before settling in Victoria, B.C.. Currently, I teach art at + read more University of Victoria.

Children's picture books are so enchanting! What a wonderful bonding experience to read together! How marvellous it is to see the skills and talents of the writer, illustrator, art director and editor combine to create a picture book! Some of the publishers I have worked with are: Éditions Planete Rebelle, Annick Press, Les éditions du soleil de minuit, and Portage & Main Press.

Most recently, I did a new cover and backcover for a reprint of 'Nimoshom & his Bus". Before that, I illustrated a picture book for Les éditions du soleil de minuit, "Dessine-moi un traineau", written by Louise-Michelle Sauriol. It is a bilingual book- French and Inuktitut (translated by Nutaraaluk Jaaka). The story follows Émile who strikes up a unlikely friendship with an Inuit Grandmother on a chance encounter.

I am available for art workshops and artist/illustrator talks. Please contact hibbardkaren@gmail.com. Fees are in accordance with CWILL’s presentation fee guidelines.
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My Work Speaker Info Contact Me

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You May Know Me For:

Literature Types
• Picture Books
• Primary Grade Nonfiction
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Middle Grade Nonfiction
• YA Fiction
• YA Nonfiction
• Poetry
• Educational & Information Books

Published WorksNew cover spread for reprint 'NiMoshom and his Bus"-soft cover and digital versions, 2024. Portage & Main Press. ISBN: 9781774921166 See details below

"Dessine-moi un traineau", by Louise-Michelle Sauriol, Illustrated by Karen Hibbard, Translated into Inuktitut by Nutaraaluk Jaaka, Les éditions du soleil de minuit, 2021, Québec ISBN: 9782924279199

'NiMoshom and his Bus" by Penny M. Thomas, Illustrated by Karen Hibbard, Portage & Main Press, 2017, Winnipeg, Manitoba. ISBN: 978-1-55379-708-1

‘To This Day’ by Poet Shane Kocyzan, Annick Press, 2014, Toronto, Canada 


Arc Poetry- Children’s Poetry Edition, (written for children), ISSN: 0705-6397, Issue #69 fall 2012, Ottawa, Canada

‘Ti-Pinge’ (4 colour reprint), Author Joujou Turenne, ISBN: 978-2-923735-41-2, Planète rebelle, Montréal, Canada 



‘Les Contes de Joujou’, Author Joujou Turenne, Les éditions Planète rebelle, 2010
 ISBN: 978-2-923735-12-2, Montréal, Canada 



‘Dada #131: Gustave Courbet’-ISSN: 1261-4858, Édition Mango, Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France 



‘Ti-Pinge’ (Bilingual Version), Author Joujou Turenne, Les Éditions Planète Rebelle, 2006 ISBN: 2-922528-64-2, Montréal, Canada 



’Dada #123: Maurice Denis’, Les Édition Mango, 2006 ISSN: 1261-4858, Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

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Speaking Information2020 Culture Chats, One hour lecture + question period "How to Illustrate a Children's Book". ‘Culture Chats BC Association’ is a not for profit + read more community based association that aims to bring together residents of the local community across different cultures to engage with, experience and enjoy literary arts and other arts.

2016 UVIC Author’s Panel, “3 Poems by Eve Joseph” video-poem by Karen Hibbard/poetry by Eve Joseph, + Frances Backhouse, Troy Wilson, Rob Hancock, and Prof. David Leach, UVIC.

2015 Belmont Secondary School, Lecture and PowerPoint Presentation about Art, Langford, BC

2012 Vancouver Children’s Roundtable, Oakridge Centre Auditorium, CWILL Luncheon featuring authors & illustrators presenting their work to attendees, October, Vancouver

2012 ‘Writing and Illustrating Kid’s Books: The Inside Story’, CWILL Panellist, Vancouver Public Library Central Library, Public Attendance, Vancouver

2011 ‘Illustration: Bringing your Art to Market’, PowerPoint presentation, MAWA Artist Boot camp, Presentation in conjunction with Presented in partnership with Arts and Cultural Industries Association of Manitoba (ACI), Winnipeg, MB

2011 ‘Illustrating Children’s Picture Books’, Henderson Public Library, Winnipeg
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I will visit:
• Vancouver
• Coast
• Lower Mainland
• Gulf and Vancouver Islands
• Thompson Okanagan
• Northern British Columbia
• Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
• Kootenay Rockies
• The Territories
• Canada - beyond BC
• USA
• International
• Virtually

I Present to Age Groups:
• Grades 4-6
• Grades 7-8
• High School
• College / University / Adult

Request Booking Info

Testimonials“My daughter worked very hard all night on her origami envelope and sound drawings, and is going to + read more give her finished piece to ‘someone she loves’.”
— Parent participant, ArtCity Artist Book Workshop Show Less As for my experience: I transcribed different sentences and words for a 6 year old participant, we + read more then cut out the words and pasted them, as well as drawings into a book that she had painted and bound. When she was done she had a beautiful hand made book filled with a sort of absurd poetry she had created herself. It was really neat to see such a young participant who struggles with reading excited about her book, which she spent the rest of the workshop reading and talking about.
— Toby Gillies, Studio facilitator, ArtCity Artist Book Workshop Show Less "It was really neat to see the kids drawing sounds. They started off drawing very figure based + read more things (ie: cat purring = picture of cat) and then slowly developed into drawing more abstract forms, ie: cat purring = fuzzy line that moves to the frequency of purr."
— Jessica, Studio facilitator, ArtCity Artist Book Workshop Show Less

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Awards and Recognition:2015 Canada Council Travel Grant for Artist Residency in Portugal

Red Cedar Awards, + show more British Columbia’s Young Readers Choice, non-fiction juror, BC

2014 Won 2nd prize for video poem honouring poet Don McKay at Victoria Writers Festival, Victoria, BC

Beatty BioDiversity Museum, Backyard BioDiversity, CWILL Illustrator exhibition, Vancouver, BC

2013 Commission for BC Arts Council Arts Champion award ceremony, Bernice Heinzelman- Award Recipient, BC Arts Council, BC Arts Culture Week, Vancouver
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