Discovering The Artist Within: The Art of Carol Carter

I came across Carol’s art online when I happened to chance on one of the paintings from her Everglade series and was really captivated by the strong use of colors and the fluidity in it. As I surfed through her other paintings, I found that, the beautiful vibrant hues and the intensity of her art really stood out. The subjects of her paintings are simple things rendered extraordinary by her bold choice of colors and strong use of contrasts compelling the viewer to move away from reality. The huge scale of her paintings also offers a contradiction to the humble choice of subject.

I had the opportunity to do an interview with her and here it is….

An e-interview with Carol Carter

@How did you stumble into arts?

I have painted all my life. When I entered college-- all I wanted to study was art. When I decided to go into the professional world -- I decided to be an artist. That was the late 70's.

@What inspires you to paint and keep motivated?

Beauty, light and color generally inspire me to paint.

@Did your current style of painting develop gradually, or have you always painted like this?

My style of painting has evolved over the years. I began my current "style" of painting shortly after I graduated from getting my MFA. My work has been in development along those lines since then.

@Could you tell us some more about your work?

Having grown up in Florida, my strongest visual impression of an environment for human activity is water. In much of my work, water, either literal or suggested, provides the setting for anonymous figures. The paintings contain duality: clarity and ambiguity; sanctuary and threat; pleasure and pain. The use of vibrant, saturated colors--beautiful, but confrontational in their intensity--contributes to the tension between these extremes.

For me, painting should have an intimacy, mysteriousness, sensuality. At its best, my work also has an edge; something in it that takes a moment, a second look, an effort to comprehend.

@What are the things that were instrumental to your growth as and artist?

Security, stability, peace, and continuity. If these are evident in my life-- I am generally secure enough to paint! However, it is rare that all these qualities converge at the same time.... so I have learned to paint on and through most of life's dilemmas. The rockier the road is of life...the more important painting becomes.

@How do you go about planning a series?

I look for an idea, a place, a time of day, or a human drama that sparks my visual curiosity. After completing one painting-- it typically calls for another painting to carry through the idea. Pretty soon-- one painting leads to another .. and so on. Then... you have a sequential series developing.

@What is the current series you are working on and how did that come into being?

My next show is about the EVERGLADES in Florida. It is a National Park including the River Of Grass ecosystem. I was the Visiting Artist of the Everglades National Park in May of last year—and I will be producing a show built on the investigation of that Park.

@What about the commercial aspect of art? How do you go about promoting yourself?

I use the internet a lot. I have two Facebook pages, two blogs, and one website to keep my work visible online. I promote my work with postal mailings quarterly. I use Mail Chimp for email blasts to 500 email addresses. I also use Blurb.com to publish books.

I also work with a marketing expert to develop marketing campaigns strategic to each project I'm involved in.

I like using the internet.

@What are your thoughts about the online art market?

I like it a lot. It has leveled the playing field for artists. It also has brought the international community of artist closer together... so there is a whole online network of artists available to work with and exchange ideas with.