Interview

WoW:  Where have you studied art? 
CC:  I received my B.A. from Principia College, Elsah, IL in 1977and my M.F.A. from Washington University, St. Louis, MO in 1984.

WoW:  What person or factor has influenced you the most?
CC:  I think I was influenced the most in graduate school. The whole experience taught me how to "think" as an artist. I also learned that painting could be a way to communicate (feelings, narratives, events) instead of just painting to 'decorate'. The art school experience opened my eyes to the possibility of visualizing my ideas, values, concerns in a compelling way. I try to find beauty in the mundane- the ordinary things, events, and people around us. 

WoW:  Was art always a career option for you? 
CC:  Yes 

WoW:  What first attracts you to a subject for a painting? 
CC:  I first look for something that I have an emotional connection with-- a place, a time of day, a person, or an atmospheric condition. Then I look for a striking composition within that imagery- or for the most dynamic point of view. 

WoW:  Are you "inspired" most by composition, color, emotion, etc?
CC:  I am inspired mostly by color, I think. 

WoW:  Do you work out the design and composition first or just dive in and paint? 
CC:  I work out the design and composition first. 

WoW:  Do you begin with a thumbnail?
CC:   Yes, sometimes I do "macquettes" of entire paintings. A "Macquette" is a small painting... done to scale to establish the details (composition/line/color) of the larger painting. I frequently use this approach to save on time/money.  I do them to scale.. and often sell them as completed paintings as well. I make changes...on the larger painting... when I see what's not working in the smaller. It could be referred to as a 'thumbnail' sketch... but there's more work involved in completion.

Wow:  Do you use masking fluid? 
CC:  No

WoW:  What do you find most appealing about the medium of watercolor or acrylics? 
CC:   like the fluidity and transparency of watercolor. I like the structure and architectural nature/geometry of acrylic. 

WoW:  Which do you prefer? 
CC:  I use them equally- for different reasons- usually associated with the subject matter that I happen to choose. 

WoW:  Which of your paintings do you consider "special"? 
CC:  I like the painting "Safe Passage" because it was about helping my best friend through his illness of AIDS. He was suffering and close to death at the time that I painted that painting. It is a stairwell leading up to a balcony on an ocean liner. Through the opening of the stairwell you can see an empty deckchair and beautiful sunset. It is a perfect metaphor for the transition (journey) we call "death".

WoW:   Would you describe how it was painted and the colors you used?
CC:  The painting has a lot of French Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Orange, Light Blue Violet, and Pthalo Green. I painted the sky first- then added the roof tops, then the stairwell, and finally the stair steps and deckchair. The banister is white, but it is the 'white' of the canvas, not painted in. 

WoW:  What comes first - the painting, the title or the inspiration? 
CC:  Usually the painting comes first. Through the journey of the painting... I find the message (content) and the title reveals itself. The inspiration usually comes first-- in just trying to say something personal, difficult, emotional, or profound. 

WoW:  What paint, paper, and brushes do you prefer? 
CC:  I use Arches 300 lb. Cold Press paper. Usually the large 30x40, or 40 x 60 format. (heavy paper keeps my washes from puddling too much) I use Winsor & Newton paints exclusively- because they're the best. My brushes are modestly priced- but usually the best that I can afford. I like a 2" brush, several pointed #14, or #12 Kolinsky sables. I also have a 6" oriental brushes for large flat washes. 

WoW:  Do you have a standard palette of colors that you always use? 
CC:  Yes, my colors are Winsor & Newton:  Burnt Sienna, Sepia,  F. Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue,  Antwerpt Blue, Cobalt Turquoise, Winsor Green, Winsor Violet (dioxazine violet), Quanacradione, Magenta,  Aureolin,  Indian Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Scarlet, Winsor Red, Raw Sienna, Ivory Black,  Thioindigo Violet, and  Indian Red.

WoW:  What would you tell a "beginning" artist who wants to make a career of art? 
CC:  Paint with a heart of gold, but exhibit with a heart of steel. Paint as much as you can - regardless of what others might say or think. Follow your own direction, don't mimic others. 

WoW:  What factors do you think has helped you succeed as an artist? 
CC:  Tenacity and perseverance. 

WoW:  Do you think art associations aid in the growth of an artist? 
CC:  Yes. They afford the beginner a sense of community and some camaraderie for exhibiting, sharing creative efforts, forming alliances in studio space, and sharing information about supplies and materials.

WoW:  Carol, thank you for your time and agreeing to be a WoW! Spotlighted Artist!

Paintings