We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carolyn Veros a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Carolyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

As a self-taught artist, I feel like I am constantly learning my craft. I find with each piece that I create I am learning something valuable that I can apply to each painting I create going forward. Sometimes what I learn in the creation process is so great that I wish I could travel back in time and apply it to my finished pieces from the past. Other times, what is learned in a lesson in what not to do going forward, both are very valuable lessons needed to grow as an artist. I am also incredibly lucky to be part of a community full of unbelievably creative & talented individuals. I have met so many wonderful artists while participating in local art markets and chatting with creators near and far via social media who believe in community over competition and are available to lend advice. For me being an artist is a journey, and I have much to learn, but I will always have fun along the way.

Carolyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an artist, a mom, a native Floridian, an animal lover, a beach enthusiast, and I absolutely love to paint! I see it as a way to pull a vision straight from my mind and bring it to life on canvas. As a native of Florida, I have always been greatly inspired by the beauty found in coastal living and the delightfully diverse group of people and personalities that call Florida home. I paint a variety of things ranging from lively and unique versions of sea creatures to shark’s teeth to beautifully abstract faces. No matter what subject matter I am painting, I always use bright colors and bold textures to bring them to life. I often use pieces of wood I have collected on beach walks, or “beach treasures” as I call them as canvases for my sea life paintings. It is a great way to repurpose the wood and makes each piece much more unique.

Painting has always been a hobby of mine, but 13 years ago I realized just how therapeutic creating art can be. At that time my husband had been injured in an IED explosion during a deployment in Iraq. I found that caring for two small children and a healing spouse brought a level of stress I had never experienced before. I found solace in the creation process. At first, I painted small items and gave them to friends and family. As time went by my husband recovered, my children became older and more independent, and I found more time to paint. Having more time to paint gave me more practice, more finished paintings and inspired me to turn my artwork into a small business.

I am working to become a regular at North Florida makers markets and artisan shops. At the market you can find me under my tent selling hand painted canvases, bracelets, earrings, wooden planks, and postcards. When not painting or participating in markets, I can usually be found paddle boarding the intercoastal, roaming the shoreline hunting sharks teeth or at home in St. Augustine, Florida with my husband, children and three very spoiled cats.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Getting out in your local area and connecting with other local artists, creatives, and small business owners. I wish I had done that sooner. When I signed up to be a vendor at my first makers market, I was just so excited to be a part of the market that I really didn’t think about everything that would go into it. Being at an art market is an absolute delight, sharing your art with the local community is electric. But if you want the market to be a success, there is more to it than just placing your product on a table. I had not given a thought as to how I would engage market goers, creating inviting table set ups, or research to find the best markets for my products… I could go on and on. During my first market I met Noel Michael, a local creator and small business owner who helped show me the things I needed to do to create a successful market presence. Soon after I started vending at markets, I started working a weekly shift at a local artist co-op. That was a wonderful place to network with other creators. While working there I met Elizabeth Leitzke, a local photographer who shared information on upcoming art shows and encouraged me to participate. Without their help, advice and encouragement I don’t know where I would be today. Noel & Beth are two of the many wonderful people I have met on my journey. I am beyond fortunate to be surrounded by a community of creatives that inspire, encourage and best of all offer solid advice that will help you grow as both an artist and a business owner. These are your people and believe me, they are WONDERFUL so get out there and find them!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think the most rewarding part of being an artist for me are the people that you meet in the process. I find that the people you meet being an artist are generally either artist themselves, or art lovers and the energy surrounding them is just fantastic. Talking to shoppers at art markets about a painting and the inspiration behind it is wonderful. I love hearing what they see, or what the painting means to them. Having that level of comfort and familiarity conversing with people is a wonderful feeling for me. Since starting my journey as an artist, I have met truly beautiful people who have been so encouraging and helped me to build confidence in myself as an artist and that is an invaluable gift.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @magnificentmagnolia_st.auggie
• Facebook: Magnificent Magnolia
• Other: Etsy: https://cverosart.etsy.com