"I’m less interested in painting what already exists, so I use what I observe as a reference point for self-expression," continues Carol. "My creative approach is less cerebral and more intuitive. I combine my love of color and expressive lines to create design, and I tend gravitate to the organic forms and shapes of nature." 

Carol's diverse influences clearly inform her creative process. She doesn't fully abandon representation, but instead prefers to blur the perceived line between representation and abstraction, leaving a space for the viewer to add their own interpretation of the work. 

"I take many cues from my surroundings," says Carol. "I paint what I know and see every day, both indoors and outside in nature: fruit and vegetables on a table; flowers arranged in vases; flora observed in my garden; natural landscapes and organic forms discovered on walks along the lakeshore."