The Trippe Gallery

It was in college that Carol realized her love of drawing and painting could be her life’s work. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a BFA in illustration. Even as an illustrator her work was animal oriented, so when she decided to follow her true passion and become a fine artist specializing in wildlife, she felt confident there would be exciting adventures ahead.

Carol is inspired by all aspects of nature and all of her paintings are based on personal reference. From the small and flashy hummingbirds in her back yard, to the great bison and grizzlies in Yellowstone, Carol uses her camera to capture all the images she uses in her creative process. She explains, “I must experience my subjects first hand to capture their amazing character and spirit, to make that connection to them. Wildlife never ceases to amaze me, and translating my wonder into my work is my driving force.” Always remembering her education, she often uses her background in illustration to create new stories that perhaps did not happen in front of her, but certainly could have.

Working in oils, Carol uses many techniques of the Old Masters, layering in an underpainting and glazing in colors to create depth and dimension, then finishing with thicker layers of colors to bring her paintings to life.

Life and Light are central to Carol’s work. Her joy comes from capturing even the smallest of moments to the most dramatic that nature has to offer.