We were lucky to catch up with Carrington Moore recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carrington, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’d always been involved in the arts, in my own way. Mostly, I drew and painted for friends and family and for my own enjoyment – much to shy to ever show anything online. I was content with this for a long time. I was working at Sprout Social, a software company that specializes in social media, when I started seeing professional artists coming through the trial funnel. I had a chance to see their social media and learn how their business works, and that was the first time the seed was planted that I maybe would one day change something that was a deeply loved hobby into something more public.

I continued to work in software for a while, and continued learning and developing myself – and others, too. I had a chance to work with incredible people at both DocuSign and Sprout Social, and I learned a lot about managing the business side of an operation, which has proven invaluable to pursuing arts full time. While I loved working with my team at DocuSign, I realized that I didn’t have a desire to do anything other than chase down art as hard as I could.

My husband deserves a shout out here for not only not freaking out about such a huge pivot, but also encouraging me to do so and also to push me to put my work online. That moment felt terrifying, and the moment I decided to sharing my work, I knew I was committed to the arts career path, even if it was long and winding.

Carrington, 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 live in West Seattle, Washington, with my husband and our two cats. I’m an artist and illustrator with a passion for creating dream-like and fantastical art. My work is done traditionally, mostly oil on canvas or paper, and explores themes of beauty, feminism, and fantasy. I draw inspiration from a wide variety of sources: literature, music, nature, and my own personal experiences.

Drawing was really my first love. I’ve been drawing since I can remember, and was deeply involved in the arts growing up. In college, I chose to study philosophy, and later progress into a career in business. My degree in philosophy provided a solid foundation for visual storytelling, and an extensive education in aesthetics. After spending eight years working in sales and marketing, I gained the practical skills needed to transition my artistic passion into a full-time career. It’s perhaps a non-traditional path, but I’m grateful for every moment of it as it’s helped me accelerate in the arts quickly. I’ve further honed my craft through formal art education, experimental projects, and collaborations with authors.

My work varies, ranging from large abstract paintings to illustration work. My focus is on the conceptual core of each collection and piece: what themes are important to me to explore or capture? How do those ideas translate into medium? I jump from medium to medium sometimes depending on what best suits the concept. Everything always ties back to the initial idea, and the design follows from there.

I hope my art brings beauty and joy into people’s lives, even when exploring darker themes. I want to capture color and light and form in a way that lets the viewer spend a moment in wonder.

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

Every time I sit down to create something, it always surprises me. My art seems in dialogue with me, telling me to slow down or go faster or try something that was not part of the plan. Sometimes things come together so much faster than I thought, and other times it takes three times longer. When each work is done, it takes a moment for me to process it to see what I want to do on the next work. It’s dynamic, it’s humbling, and it’s very rewarding to have that connection.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The immediate reaction here is that I don’t know if it’s always a choice. Sometimes, it’s more about who you are, rather than your career, and being brave enough to align to that (even if others think you are crazy).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carringtonmoorestudio.com
• Instagram: @carringtonmoorestudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carringtonmoore/

Image Credits

Chelsea Moudry