Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Arnold.
Carol, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My dream since I was a child, has been to be an artist as well as a mom. I was fortunate enough to marry an incredible man who supports that idea wholeheartedly. My four children are my inspiration and often my models. I am forever grateful for being able to take them along with me on my journey. They have been exposed to world class art and wonderful people who are generous and kind and share the same passion and show us how art can change the world!
I went to Vesper George School of Art in Boston and worked in the commercial art field for several years. One day, I received an invitation to a party from Dianne P. Miller, who I hadn’t heard from since my Vesper George days. I went to her party and was so inspired by her beautiful art. She had a large library of art books. I asked what the one book was she would recommend. She pulled out Richard Schmid’s book “Alla Prima II Everything I Know About Painting—and More”. I bought it and it has forever changed my life!
It happened that Richard was offering a free demo that weekend in Vermont at the Village Arts of Putney’s barn. During that month, there were lots of events and I went to every one of them. At one of those events, I was invited to paint with the Putney Painters, a painting group formed by Richard and his wife Nancy Guzik, and have been painting with them ever since. Richard is now stepping back to focus on videos and books and has asked me to take the lead and continue what he and Nancy have built on since 1998. I accepted with great honor, respect and gratitude!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
“Alla Prima” means painting from life, usually in one day or so. I like to work this way because it requires a high level of concentration and the results are far better than anything I could get from copying a photo. I paint what I see rather than what I know about my subject. I paint the patterns of shapes and colors created by the light that falls on the subject, not the subject itself. I paint what I see when I squint down, not that dark, but that simple. Simplification is the key to painting.
Following the Alla Prima method of painting is exciting to me because it’s a real-life experience and that excitement and energy somehow transfers onto the canvas. When the viewer looks at the finished painting they are seeing what I saw and sharing that moment in time. They are sharing the understanding that there is beauty and peace all around us if we take the time to look for it.
I paint what I love and that usually has to do with my family. I know many artists who waited until after their children were grown before they started their career in art. I say, why wait? I’ve had the opportunity to take my family with me on my painting journey. Having them go through the entire process from posing to the opening of the show, to the awards, makes them feel special and makes it a memorable and educational experience for them. Nancy Guzik and I would create wonderful set ups that included classical music, storytelling during breaks, yoga, ice cream, games, dancing, and songs. The schools are cutting art and music out of the curriculum all around the country. I think that exposing children to great art at a young age is critical for future generations. It opens a whole new world for them and I can’t imagine life without art.
I’ve come to the realization that art is like a self-portrait. What I paint is about what I see in my model or still life or in the landscape before me. If you stand in a studio with multiple artists painting the same model you can see this for yourself. Each painting will be different. That’s because each artist is an individual with their own ideas and feelings. You are beautifully unique, there is no one exactly like you in the world who sees exactly what you see and no one who paints exactly like you. Isn’t that exciting to know? You’re painting is your voice. Take the time to look at your subject before you paint and see what it is you want to tell the world! Put it into words. You can’t paint feelings so you need to put it into words like “drawing, value, edges, or color”.
Be confident in your decision and stick with it! “I love the pretty flowers” isn’t as helpful as “I love the colors of the flowers” or “I love the shapes of the lilies”. Always try to find something positive about your work. If somethings not right and you don’t know what it is, ask yourself questions, like “is it in the drawing, values the edges or the color?” Asking these questions keeps you in control and with control, comes confidence! Surround yourself with people who are positive and be positive towards other people. Believe in your work and people will believe in you!
How can artists connect with other artists?
Taking workshops is a great way to connect with other artists because you often spend a few days with the other students who don’t know anyone either. You usually go to dinner with other workshop participants and you can make great connections! Local art associations are also great because they are inexpensive and have lots of events and shows with a wide variety of genres. Gallery openings will have artists and collectors which is another great opportunity for making connections.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My website (carolarnolafineart.com) is a great place to view my work. I add pieces as they become available. I have workshops and classes listed, you can sign up for my newsletter there as well. My work can also be seen at J. Todd Galleries ( jtodd.com ) and Susan Powell Fine Art ( susanpowellfineart.com ).
There is also a beautiful video on YouTube of Nancy Guzik and me painting my children “Where Fairy Tales Come Alive”, by Nancy Guzik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq4Jw6Xiy_E&t=20s.
Contact Info:
- Address: Northbridge, MA
- Website: carolarnoldfineart.com
- Phone: (508) 234-9687
- Email: carol@carolarnoldfineart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carol_arnold_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.arnold.716
- Others: https://www.rosemaryandco.com/index.php?route=product/search&filter_name=Carol%20Arnold / https://www.royaltalens.com/en-gb/
Image Credit:
Dillon Arnold, Grace Arnold, Lori Larue
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