|
It was an anniversary gift from her husband that first nudged Carolyn
Abrams in the direction of becoming a visual artist. “As a child, I was
never the one the nuns picked to display their artwork,” the Albany area
resident recalled. “But when my husband surprised me with oil paints,
canvas and an easel on our first anniversary I began to teach myself.” Abrams discovered a love of (and talent for) decorative painting and for
15 years, painted on wood and slate, selling her wares through home
parties with great success.
After falling in love with a watercolor
painting while on vacation four years ago, the artist switched mediums
and has been doing watercolors ever since. She has also seen her
signature evolve from slate paintings to collages she calls Visual
Memoirs From the Heart and Soul. Using a combination of collage and
watercolor techniques, Abrams weaves together times, places and events
in a person’s life. The details and images offer insight into the
person; place or event and the special memory can be honored. “I use all
of my creativity to combine thoughts, mementos and imagery into an
original and meaningful work of art,” she said. “Each person who views
it will see something different and the essence of that special person,
place or event will have been captured.” |
|
Abrams said she loves every
minute of her life as an artist. “I feel blessed to have been given a
passion for making art. The blessing is in the passion, the rest is up
to me.” Carolyn participates in various area art shows and will be
exhibiting at Uncommon Grounds in Saratoga this June; at the East
Greenbush Community Library in November and at Arts 220 in Salem in
2006. She has been featured in articles in the Times Union and Troy
Record and her work “The Art and Soul of Visual Memoirs” will be
published this fall in “Legacy” magazine, a publication dedicated to
redefining heritage art.
Carolyn Abrams is a watercolor/collage artist from
Brunswick, New York. She works as an Arts Grant Coordinator for The
Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy, NY. Her studio,
Carolina Moon Arts, is located in her home. |
