about her work, Massaro has stated: "My primary aim, is to explore rather than replicate. So much of one's time is spent in the studio, the process itself should be engaging. I try to imagine how colors and patterns might read. It is intriguing how complex juxtaposing characteristics of repeated lines, plus hue and value, can be working with multiple parts and views. Everything is subject to change until the last firing; after that, the piece is on its own." Awards Massaro has earned significant recognition throughout her career. Her achievements include the National Endowment for Arts Grant in 1976 and the Wisconsin Arts Board Grant in 1977. In 1987, she received the Guild American Crafts Merit Award from Kraus Sikes, Inc. of New York. For "national and cultural enrichment of a community", Massaro was considered the Artist of The Year by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission in 2003. She was also a recipient of the National Endowment for Arts Artist Fellowship award. Museum collections The following is a selection of institutions that hold examples of Massaro's work. Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, WI Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, Columbus, OH (now The Columbus Museum of Art) Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, AR John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI Mingei International Museum, San Diego, CA Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ Plains Art Museum, Morehead, MN (now in Fargo, ND) Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Santa Cruz, CA Topeka and Shawnee Country Public Library, Topeka, KS Selected solo exhibitions Massaro's work has been exhibited in a variety of shows including, but not limited to: 2005: Real and Implied Space, exploding head gallery: contemporary art and ceramics, Sacramento, CA (now closed) 2003: 2003 Artist of The Year, Santa Cruz County Government Center, Santa Cruz, CA 2001: Pence Gallery, Davis, CA 1992: Karen Thuesen Massaro New Work, Winfield Gallery, Carmel, CA 1980: Synopsis Gallery, Winnetka, IL (renamed Vivid Art Gallery, Winetka, IL) (now closed) 1980: Rochester Art Center, Rochester, MN 1979: Recent Works in Clay, Gallery 8, La Jolla, CA (now closed) 1978: Sun Valley Venter for the Arts and Humanities, Sun Valley, ID (now Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Ketchum, ID) 1973: University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI Selected group exhibitions Massaro's work has been featured in several exhibitions. The following is a short list of select group exhibitions: 2017: