Flowers and Landscapes of California: Original Watercolors by Carol Ann Conners
Please join us at Aspect to celebrate an artist near and dear to our hearts. Please welcome: Flowers and Landscapes of California: Original Watercolors by Carol Ann Conners.
Artist's Reception: Thursday, September 1st, 2016 from 7-9pm
Exhibition Dates: September 1st- November 1st
Artists Statement:
Carol had access to art supplies and artists at a very young age. Born in Upstate New York, Carol moved to Chatham, Massachusetts at 3 months of age. She credits her Granny Carol for keeping her special art box stocked with crayons, paint boxes, paper, coloring books and paper dolls. Before she attended Kindergarten Carol spent summers helping in the Costume Department of Monomoy Theater, where her mom’s cousin, Carolyn Ross was the Costume Designer. When Carol was a teenager, she volunteered at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire where her cousin designed sets and costumes for the Dartmouth College Theater Arts Department.
While growing up in Chatham, Carol attended public schools. Carol states, “When I grew up in the 1960’s and 1970’s, art and music was an important part of the public school curriculum. I appreciate what I learned from having music and art classes as a child. Art and music classes were just as important to my education as classes in science, math, English and physical education.”
While attending Chatham High School, Carol continued classes in art with Ryder Martin. Mr. Martin was a calming influence during Carol’s teenager years. Carol credits Mr. Martin for helping his students develop their talent while exposing them to many different mediums, including watercolor and oil painting, drawing, and clay pottery.
Carol credits her parents. “My father was very artistic and was involved in the Theater Arts. Mom was supportive and kept me supplied with art materials. She also drove me to my extracurricular activities that included ballet classes, piano and voice lessons, and performing arts workshops.”
Carol graduated from Chatham High School when she was sixteen, then attended Hartt College of the University as a voice major from 1977-78. While attending the University of Hartford, she took a class called The North American Indians and a Spectrum of Their Arts. It was here where she learned beaded leather art and basket weaving.
Fast forward to the present, Carol now resides on the banks of the lower Eel River near the confluence of the Eel River and the Pacific Ocean. She lives on the coast on Table Bluff with her husband, Greg, her dog and her kitty. Carol’s two daughters are grown, have both graduated from college and are having their own creative lives. To counteract the feelings of “empty nest”, Carol took a watercolor painting class from Northern Californian artist, Judy Evenson. It was in Judy’s class where Carol reconnected with her love for painting.
Currently, Carol’s portfolio includes landscapes and flowers from her Northern California Gardens. “My landscape paintings are of the surrounding landscape. Sometimes I paint outside. Other times I look out the window and paint. And often I photograph my subject and paint from the photo. With the flowers I plant the seeds, water them and watch them grow, transplant them in the garden, and then I paint them. That way, I can preserve their beauty forever.”