We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erica Carr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Erica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
I wish I started my creative career sooner as I always had innate creativity and talent and lived in a supportive creative environment and landscape in the NE where I would have had more opportunities and been able to progress quicker/maneuver easier. I started in my late 30’s privately and mid-40’s with public exhibitions and studio space in South Florida. I was an Executive career-wise when I started in my mid 40’s. Starting sooner would have allowed me to use my network for more exposure as the college that I attended and sphere of influence were very pro-arts. The success and traction that I’m enjoying now would have been accelerated and been greater based on geography, culture and value of the ARTS. There would be less sweat equity and a clearer path to being a successful full-time artist following my bliss.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Palm Beach based artist, Erica Carr, a Native Floridian has been honing her skills since childhood. Erica is a mixed media visual artist who initially found inspiration in a studio art class at Wellesley College. After graduating from Wellesley, she continued her practice and took classes at Rhode Island School of Design. Her work varies from simple ink wash drawings to acrylic and oil layered abstracts. Her styles vary and include painting and drawing.
Erica’s work has been exhibited with galleries and fine art shows throughout Florida including Spectrum Miami during Art Basel week.
I am a multi-media artist (painter) who values self expression and art as a catalyst much like Carl Jung did. Jung appreciated the imaginative mind, and expression through artwork. He believed in the importance of the arts in art creation, myths, dreams, and active imagination. Jung found through his work that images, metaphors and symbols offered healing for his clients and himself. This expression is at my core as an artist.
I love color, texture, layers, and experimentation. My work provides viewers with an atmospheric experience of delight with my multi layered work. I often paint over canvases many times. “the idea behind my work is personal exploration. My abstracts possess many layers and much movement. I like to express various possibilities in a single painting. To me, art is freedom, layers and unattachment”.
I am an artist with the Palm Beach Artist Collective, a gallery with a mission to offer highly curated original local artwork while giving back to the local community. This collective is a favorite resource for art lovers, collectors, and interior designers across the United States. National partners include One Kings Lane and Serena & Lily. This collective is committed to giving back a percentage of sales to nonprofit organizations.
In addition to my studio practice, I attend art residencies, collaborate with fellow artists, and support many local charities with my art and time. Creativity, collaboration and giving back drive me.
I am most proud of my joy and freedom demonstrated through my art and selling my art to people who love it and comment on how it makes them feel happy and positive.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I was told early on that I needed more art lessons or others may say that they were better artists than me (unsolicited). I wasn’t encouraged and as much as that wasn’t easy, it didn’t stop me. My need to create was greater than critical comments. When a stranger visited my home, she commented on the art on my walls (which I painted) and asked if I sold my work. At the moment, I sold my very first painting for a nominal amount because I didn’t know my value based on others input. However the happiness that the woman who purchased the piece expressed was more rewarding than money. Her son was battling cancer and it was dire. The fact that my expression through art brought her happiness amidst the darkness was a sign to keep going and be vulnerable and open. To be resilient in spite of harsh unsolicited comments.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Doing something that I love (creating art), that improves, evolves and gets recognition. Seeing through creativity that persistence and tenacity pays off. Like a start up of sorts. I first heard a lot of no’s and met rejection often however I stayed the course and people who initially said no, are some of my biggest supporters and the means to art sales in spaces that I couldn’t gain access to before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ericacarrart.com
- Instagram: erica.carr1
Image Credits
Gina Marie Sullo photography