Where I Met with Carol
I enjoyed meeting with on a beautiful fall day in the Black Forest. We got to sit in a lovely coffee shop (R&R Coffee) and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee in an actual mug. Carol is quite social and I actually had to interrupt a lively conversation with another patron so we could start our interview. Initially I connected with Carol on an unlikely phone call as I was inviting her to one of my seminars. As we talked I learned she was a successful local artist, I was intrigued because I also am a closet amateur artist with many pads full of sketches in my closet. It is always fun to meet new people and see how your interests can intersect.
What I Really Like About Carol
Carol is a person with a unique life path and a wonderful sense of style. When we met she had on a beautiful deep auburn blouse with handmade beaded jewelry to match. Even her glasses had a wonderful hint of color. Carol has a passion for her art that extends to research and immersion I didn’t’ realize accompanied the actual painting. Her passion is to create paintings that transport you to another time and place.
Background
Carol is originally from Iowa but lived outside of Philadelphia and spent time in Sweden, too. She began her working life as a school psychologist and then moved to corporate America leading her company’s Sales and Product training. She then continued to put her psychological training to use as a consultant. Of all things, her mother-in-law brought Carol back to art when Carol was 36 years old. Her mom-in-law found out Carol was keeping stashes of sketch books and proceeded to sit Carol down with an easel and some paint. Fast forward a few years and Carol became known as “The Hand Artist” in the Twin Cities and she captured her work and artistic journey in a book entitled “Painting My Passion: An Artist’s Journey with Women of the West.” This is also one of the topics Carol speaks on and has even spoken at hand surgeon conventions. To complete 25 paintings commemorating the women of the 1800’s, she did extensive research into their daily lives and motivations. Through her work, Carol shows that these women were not just “along for the ride” but went West with their eyes wide open. In her paintings, she used the image of the hand to depict the women’s contributions to this country.
Drawn to Colorado by a spiritual connection to a cabin left to her by her great aunt, Carol now has her own studio in the Black Forest. She sells her artwork, does magnificently personalized pet portraits, and likes to speak about her experiences. Carol works to empower other artists as well as educate people about her art. Carol is unique in that she keeps a blog so that her clients can watch the step-by-step process of their commissioned pet portrait being created.
3 SECRETS of my Personal Success
1. Know yourself well—figure out who you are. How? Ask yourself questions. Am I visual or auditory? Introvert or extrovert? What kinds of problems do I like to solve? Am I a risk taker or do I prefer routine? Do I like the outdoors or prefer indoors?
2. You have to go find your passion/calling instead of waiting patiently for your passion to arrive on your doorstep. Look back on your life and notice the events that have inspired and motivated you. NOTE: Keep exposing your kids to different things to help them find their passions!
3. You have to be connected with people—even if you’re an introvert you need support. It is valuable to have friends and colleagues outside of your industry as well.
1 Great Recommendation for the Next Person
If you want to make a living as an artist there are two outside skills to develop.
1. “Learn some accounting and marketing.”
2. “Stay focused. I became an expert at painting hands. In my western motifs I focused on the intricacies of the hand and did not allow myself to be distracted by barns, horses, etc. Interestingly, I earned commissions from a famous baseball player and well known musicians to paint their hand portraits.
My Biggest Financial Question/Concern
Carol started saving at 8 years old. She learned to live within her means and made very smart decisions early on such as “Do I buy a house or a car?” She also married a man with the same money values which helped the communication and money story of their relationship. Carol did have to educate herself about business loans and taxes. Carol recommended to me for my financial business that I include a follow-up call after my meetings to answer any new or lingering questions. I enjoy discussing investment strategy ideas and can be reached through my website www.taraenolan.com.
Contact Carol
If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, purchasing her original oil paintings, want to visit her studio or just have questions, please contact Carol at: carol@mcintyrefineart.com and visit her website http://mcintyrefineart.com/.
