We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carol McSweeney a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Carol, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I discovered that I wanted to pursue an artistic path professionally when I began taking art classes in 2001, and soon after couldn’t imagine a better way to spend the rest of my life! As I gained skills and experience, my convictions about the creative life being right from me only strengthened.
At present, I don’t separate what I do from who I am, ever! I live, breathe and feel my art every day. It is something that I am beyond grateful for discovering in my life.
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?
In what I call my “first life”, I attended college and had careers as a special educator, school counselor and school psychologist. I was very satisfied in my work, as I have a strong drive to help others and very much enjoy working with small groups or individually. The challenge of helping children learn was exciting and intellectually stimulating for me.
It was during this time, maybe 20 years into my career, that I began working with a group of adolescents that had experienced extreme emotional traumas. As is often the case, it was difficult for them to talk about their experiences. I always had art materials available for the children and teens to use as they liked, and also to encourage them to feel free to draw what they couldn’t say. After meeting weekly for some time, some of the teens asked me to teach them how to paint. I had never taken an art class and had no idea how to do more than provide supplies!
Somehow, they talked me into taking a watercolor class, and by the end of the workshop, I had a powerful feeling that art was what I was “supposed” to do! I became passionate about my learning to paint and to draw. I took private workshops, classes at the community college, and attended life drawing classes at least weekly. And, yes, I was able to share my new skills and encourage my teen counseling group to learn with me. After a couple years of study, I applied for a sabbatical and went to Australia to study art and art therapy techniques. During that year, it became apparent to me that I wanted to follow a new path for myself as an artist.
I returned home and completed my final year of work in the schools, and have never looked back!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I have gained deeper satisfaction in my life as an artist in multiple ways that drive my creative journey.
First, I continue to share my knowledge with others through teaching children and adults painting skills. My background in education and psychology lends a bit of a different edge to my classes, I think. We often reflect about what it is that each of us wants to say with our work. I actively discuss risk-taking, openness and supportiveness within our painting groups. I encourage positivity and experimentation and we celebrate what is learned from failed paintings. We also laugh a lot!
Second, I have always been fascinated with people, observing and interacting and learning about their uniqueness. Initially, almost all of my art focused upon figurative and portrait paintings. I believe that it is a privilege to portray another human’s likeness, and I always hope to paint what I see in my subject beyond the physical features. That interest has guided me through painting varied series…American Indian celebrations, homelessness, ranch life in the West, and musicians. As of late, I am painting other subjects and am beginning a series of raptors that I have photographed in Montana and Arizona, the two states in which I live.
I guess that I can say that I paint my passions, and find it very satisfying!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is meeting amazing humans! As I travel and meet the people that often become subjects of my paintings, I am privileged to listen to their stories of resilience and spirit. My art life has expanded my friendships, knowledge and passion for life in many, many ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carolmcsweeney.com
- Instagram: carolmcsweeneyart
- Facebook: Carol McSweeney