After the war Karl and Mildred returned to Jackson, Mississippi,  where Karl had begun to establish a clientele before the war.  They homesteaded on land Karl had bought before the war, built and shared a studio there and raised a family.  Karl became an accomplished and widely respected portrait painter.

     He also taught for ten years, replacing William Hollingsworth at Millsaps College after Hollingsworth’s death.  He was very active in helping to establish the Municipal Gallery and the Mississippi Art Association, which later became the Mississippi Museum of Art.

     Karl’s painting style in the early part of his career reflected the best of his times: solid ‘tonal’ painting grounded on skilled draftsmanship based on direct observation and careful control of color and value. 

     His later work reflected his growing interest in color.   His main media was oil painting and he always had a strong interest in portrait painting.  His studies in Europe convinced him of the significance and dignity of portraiture as field worthy his life’s energy as an artist.  His work has a naturalistic feel- and is characterized by an empathetic and warm understanding of his subjects.  By his own estimation, Karl painted over 800 portraits which are now in public and private collections.
    
     Other media he occasionally used include: watercolor, ceramic sculpture and mosaic.  
    
     Karl died in 1984 at the age of 80.