Karen I. Hirsch is an international award-winning visual artist based in Chicago. Her work has been published internationally in magazines, newspapers and books including Communication Arts and Graphis photo annuals. She has received art grants from the City of Chicago and the Illinois Arts Council.

Hirsch studied with renowned photographers Ernst Haas, Jay Maisel and Arnold Newman. She lived and worked in France and Spain where she studied photography as well as language and culture.

In 2007, the Chinese government invited Hirsch and nine other photographers to document the city of Rizhao.

She is active in the photo community, having served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Media Photographers- Chicago/Midwest and Fort Dearborn-Chicago Photo Forum where she is co-president.

Hirsch's prints have been showcased at the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago, the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago, the Martha Schneider Gallery in Chicago, the Center of Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, CO and at the Palm Beach Center for Photography, FL.

Recently interviewed on WMAQ-TV (NBC Chicago) and Start TV, a new national network affiliated with CBS.

Hirsch's work is found in corporate and private collections.