We were lucky to catch up with CAROL COATES recently and have shared our conversation below.

CAROL, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I was born into an intolerant, racist, homophobic, anti=semitic, sexist, patriarchal, hypocritical, hypercritical, and loving Christian family in a conservative midwestern rural and blue-collar culture.
My “Meaningful Project” has been my life’s work of creating images that mirror and draw attention to issues of injustice. The work is a call for empathy, a call to question perceptions about those who may be ‘different’, and a call for their just treatment.

That being said, one of my most meaningful series was a collaboration with my daughter, then a dance performer, in my Contact Series. That series is about the power of every moment-to-moment choice in our ever-evolving relationships.

These themes of perception, choice, justice and injustice have prevailed in my life as an Artist and as an Educator

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Without support from my family, I worked my way through school seeking a life where I could have autonomy and security, and find joy and a sense of purpose.

I earned a Master of Arts from the University of Michigan and have pursued graduate studies in Metal Smithing, Ceramics, Photography, Drawing, Painting, and Digital Imaging. I was also awarded a full scholarship to create fine art cast and fused glass at Dale Chihuly’s Pilchuck School near Seattle, where I could continue with my interest in image layering.

I loved my role as an educator. There, I was able to convey my skills using a wide variety of media to students who had little (if any) exposure to creative culture. I was also able to expand their parameters by exposing students to work they’d never seen, and to model a problem-solving and critical-thinking mindset. For thirty years, I welcomed six classes a day, each with 35-40 students. I also had the pleasure of being an Artist in Residence for a Creatively Gifted program for ten years.

I’ve pursued lifelong learning here and abroad, and during my thirty years as an arts educator, (and as a single parent) I walked-the-talk; creating paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media work during my three months of freedom each summer. I showed in galleries and museums, garnering many awards, multiple creative artist grants and scholarships, and creating major corporate and public commissions.

One of the commissions was a 300’ mural installed in an historic courthouse. Another was a 45’ fine art installation in the executive wing of a Fortune 50 world headquarters. I received an invitation to exhibit in Italy at the Florence Biennale, where I was awarded the Lorenzo il Magnifico Bronze Medal in New Media for my work, “Judgment”.

Over time, I’ve created seven distinct series….”Perception”, “Mark Making”, “Dissonance”, “Contact”, “MindsEye”, “Beginnings”, and my most recent “Esperanza Series”.

They are mostly comprised of two-dimensional representation, but also include layered, dimensional, backlit, sculptural, and abstract work.. Their common ground is that they are all content driven and humanistic, and enlist my internalized aesthetic. I’m comfortable creating narrative, classical, representational, quirky, surreal, abstract, and minimal imagery.

I love creating highly personalized private commissions and excel in my abilities to hear, understand, and successfully execute work that speaks to the desires of each client. The client(s) most often share their ideas and trust me to synthesize them, but occasionally, the clients become co-creators.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

As a child, I was told that I was not smart, was not creative, and, as a girl, not worthy of an investment in an education.

But I was a dreamer and I somehow knew that I was all of those things. I envisioned the life I wanted to live and the path I wanted to follow and I set my course on a road not travelled by many in my world.

I’m grateful for my Grandmother’s advice to “Do what you love…” and grateful also that the sincerity and quality of my work, to date, has done well in the marketplace with hundreds of my pieces now living in someone else’s space.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the fallacy that being creative always required nose-to-the-grindstone hard work; I’ve learned that it also depends on a healthy amount of open-ended play which is often more fruitful than spending ridiculous amounts of time in one’s head.

I also had to learn to question the negative projections, beliefs, and judgments of others. I continue to learn to fear less, and to seek the fertile ground of a supportive community of friends, colleagues, and kindred spirits.

I left the Midwest in 2003 and found ‘my tribe’ in Santa Fe, NM where I continue my studio practice today. Santa Fe abounds with both creatives and informed and appreciative collectors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carolcoates.com
• Instagram: @ccoatesart

Image Credits

Cropped personal photo by Sven Doornkaat