Franklin Square Gallery
130 E West Street, Southport, NC 28461
910-457-5450
Hours - 10am - 4pm - Monday - Saturday
Artist in the Spotlight - December
Meet Carol Kidd!
Look at that yellow.
What a beautiful pink.
Can you believe that shade of blue?
Carol Kidd has always loved the play of color and the way it can create a mood, express a feeling. Carol began painting in oils after taking a class at a craft store in Maryland. She spent 36 years teaching French.
After retiring she found more time for painting and began to take classes and workshops to experiment with techniques and media.
Carol has always enjoyed working with textiles and finds calm in knitting and other needle crafts. She has added hand dying silk scarves to
her pastimes, which she enjoys teaching to others, and finds great satisfaction in making marbled papers to use as decoration for stationery and journals.
“How lucky I am to have found inspiration in travel and the beautiful scenery ofSouthport, NC.”
Check out Carol's Facebook Page
First Friday 12/1/2023
Artist Demonstration: Painting on Silk to Create Beautiful Scarves with Carol Kidd
Let's Get to Know Carol!
1. How did you get involved in the local art scene and join Franklin Square Gallery?
I became interested in art in this area when I attended an event at The Artisan's Boutique. Previously, and for many years, I was into crafts and stitchery. My first canvas painting class was at the Ben Franklin Craft Store. Maybe you remember those? I had an instructor who taught in the Bob Ross style. We painted in oils.
We moved here in 2005 from the DC/MD area. Eventually, I started taking classes here and got more involved in the local art community.
2. What Artist or Artists inspire you and influence your art?
My favorite artists are Monet and Klimt. I like the impressionist style.
3. What else inspires you?
I'm very inspired by beautiful landscapes. I try to recreate the "feeling" I had when I saw it.
4. What do you consider your style?
That's a fun question. Hmmm. I would say loose impressionist. I like abstracts but not real abstract.
5. How has your style evolved over time?
I'm not sure. I kind of refer to my creative times as periods, like my earliest one, I refer to as my Ceramics Period.
I'm interested in so many things, I think I'm still exploring and evolving. I'm not sure yet what kind of artist I want to be when I grow up. lol
6. What are the hardest parts of the creating process for you?
Perspective. Getting the perspective right is hard. Sometimes I use a ruler when I'm working with a photograph. If it's from my imagination or memory, that's more difficult.
7. What gives you the most satisfaction in your art?
I get the most satisfaction when I'm really happy with my finished product. You know, when you just know it's really good! You stand back and say, Wow!
I really enjoy the whole process of art too. From the buying of supplies to putting the price tag on my piece.
8. What would you most like to try in your art? Is there a new trend or style or medium that intrigues you?
Nothing comes to mind here. I say I'm a "jack of all trades and master of none, maybe?" (Note from the interviewer: I'm quite impressed with the talent this amazing artist has and in so many mediums. I think she's a master of many!)
9. Do you have some advice for those starting out and/or for those who don't think they can create?
Just do it! Take a class. It's okay to copy another artist's work, just don't sell it. Don't be afraid to look at the masters and copy their work, try out their styles. See what you like. That's how you learn.
Carol shared a favorite experience related to her love of Monet -
"Five to six years ago, I got to take a trip to Paris, France, to study "Everything Monet". It was amazing and I loved it. The highlight was having the opportunity to paint in the Giverny Gardens, famous gardens of Claude Monet. We had to paint before they opened the gardens and after they closed for the day, but they were just beautiful and it was so fun to have the gardens to ourselves."
Here's a link to Giverny Gardens if you want to take a look -