We recently connected with Carrie Bennett and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Carrie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful projects I’ve worked on as an artist are the murals and public art for my hometown of Lighthouse Point. The park murals I’ve created over the years were designed to bring a sense vibrancy, energy, and and refreshment to the park spaces, highlighting the greenery and beauty of our local parks. The artwork, sprinkled around town on light pole banners, on small and large scales, paints a backdrop of sorts to people’s lives, as does any public art, and my hope is that it acts as a binder to uphold the shared values of what we love about our small city.

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

I am a muralist, street painter, chalk artist and art teacher all in one. I’ve been teaching art full time for over 17 years and picked up the art of street painting about 14 years ago, This was a segue into the live art form for future events and festivals over the years. I’ve helped organize chalk art events locally in Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale to bring live chalk art to my community. Public art as a form of marketing is incredibly powerful, and I’ve been able to participate in several projects over the years partnering with various organizations in Broward County as well as to benefit local historical organizations. The engagement of painting live with an audience, whether for an event or on the street opens the doors to personal connection to the broader community, and so is personally fulfilling in a unique way. At the end of the day, I want people to feel freedom when they experience my work, and I plan to continue creating art that brings the viewer into the scene.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I became a mother in 2016, I had to learn the art of juggling being a full time educator, artist, and mother-and wondering if I would have room to excel at all 3 at a maintainable pace. I am placing the most value and time where needed, and continue to create select public artwork that has the most meaning for me. Although I am not able to devote my career to being a full time artist today, I am learning the art of flexibility and making space in every season to thrive as an artist.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think art is universally appreciated, but hasn’t always been as highly esteemed as a top tiered profession. I do think certain art forms have gained more respect and value in recent years, and the employment of artists to cultivate cultural identity in the public art sector has risen dramatically, which I think is amazing to see. Artists in the golden age were the pioneers of culture, and I think society is returning to this as we place our value on the arts as a vital role in our lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.carriebennett.net
• Instagram: carriebennett_art
• Facebook: @carriebennettart

Image Credits
Ola’pi Creative