About the Artist

SHORT TEXT

A "plein air" artist since college, Carolyn Lord early career was influenced by the 20th Century California Watercolor Style of Millard Sheets and his peers which featured bold color and strong design. Through study at ateliers, her recent watercolors and oils often include aspects of Tonalism and Impressionism. She is inspired by the California's vernacular architecture, landscape, and gardens. 

MEDIUM TEXT

Southern California native, Carolyn Lord (1956- ) was introduced to the California Regionalist Watercolor Tradition by James Green while attending Principia College in Elsah, IL. A Studio Arts Major, her Liberal Arts studies also included botany and architectural history, which became favorite painting motifs. 

Lord's early career capitalized on watercolor's portability with road trips in the Western United States as well as international trips to Denmark, England, France, Italy, Brasil, US and British Virgin Islands, Mexico, and French Polynesia.  Lord's mid-career work has been focused on the vernacular architecture, landscapes and gardens of her home state of California. Through continued study, aspects of Tonalism and Impressionism have been integrated into her watercolors and oil paintings. 

American Artist, Watercolor Artist, Plein Air Magazine, Savvy Painter, and Learn to Paint podcasts have profiled Lord's career. She is a Signature member of California Art Club, National Watercolor Society, California Watercolor Association, and American Women Artists. Lord has exhibited in numerous solo and group gallery shows; plein air events; juried and invitational shows held in local and regional civic art galleries, and  museums.  

LONG TEXT

Southern California native, Carolyn Lord (1956- ) was introduced to the "California Regionalist Watercolor" tradition by James Green in 1975 while attending Principia College, in Elsah, Illinois. During summer vacation she attended watercolor workshops with Rex Brandt, George Post, and Robert E Wood. Her Liberal Arts studies also included botany and architectural history which became favorite painting motifs throughout her art career. 

Two months after college graduation in 1978, Lord had her first solo show at the Maybeck Gallery, Elsah, Illinois. The following month, she began exhibiting in Carmel, California, at the Fireside Gallery alongside watercolorists Millard Sheets, Tom Hill, Tom Nicolas, and Gerald Brommer. Lord attended a two-week watercolor workshop by Millard Sheets in 1979. In 1983, Millard Sheets recommended Lord's work to his son David and daughter-in-law, Susan, who were opening the Stary-Sheets Fine Arts, Gualala, California. Both the Fireside Gallery and Stary-Sheets Fine Arts were instrumental in establishing her career with solo-shows 1980-1997.  

Lord's early career capitalized on watercolor's portability with road trips in California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado as well as international trips to Denmark, England, France, Italy, US and British Virgin Islands, Brasil, Mexico, and French Polynesia. Lord's mid-career work has been focused on the vernacular architecture, landscape, and gardens near her home in California.

Watercolor exhibitions have provided national opportunities. Highlights include: National Watercolor Society; California Watercolor Association; Watercolor West; San Diego Watercolor Society; Arizona Aqueous; Oregon Watercolor Society; Rocky Mountain National; Watercolor USA; Adirondack National Exhibition of American Watercolors; Watercolor Art Society-Houston, Philadelphia Watercolor Society.

Lord has been invited to jury or judge: National Watercolor Society, Red River Watercolor Society, Arizona Aqueous, California Watercolor Association, Colorado Watercolor Society, Montana Watercolor Society, twice for Adirondack National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Santa Cruz Art League, Turlock's Carnegie Art Center, and the Jury Panel for California Art Club.  

To expand and refine her drawing and painting skills, Lord has taken workshops with Warren Chang, Wanda Kemper, Robert Lemler, and David Gallup; Bay Area Classical Artists Atelier with Jon de Martin, and Lynn Sanguedolce; Golden Gate Atelier under Andy Amaral, Sean Forester, Tess-Marie White, and Carla Crawford.  

The aesthetic aspects of the Arts and Crafts period such as Tonalism, and Impressionism can be seen in her watercolors and oils, through subtler color and value transitions. As a result, she is now a member of American Tonalist Society. 

Lord has pursued exhibition opportunities with artists who have similar aesthetics. She joined the California Art Club (CAC) in 1998 and participated in shows at the Autry, Bakersfield, Bowers, Carnegie, Fisher, Hilbert, San Luis Obispo, Santa Paula Museums; and the San Francisco Historical Society. Lord was a perennial participant in Maynard Dixon Country, Mt. Carmel Utah; participated in plein air events in Carmel, Laguna Beach, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Mendocino, Sonoma in California; and in Crested Butte, Colorado.   

Lord's work was first profiled in 1983 on the 'Watercolor Page' in American Artist Magazine, followed by articles in Watercolor Magazine, Watercolor Magic, USArt, Southwest Art, Plein Air, Watercolor Artist, and in the California Art Club newsletter. She was interviewed for Savvy Painter, Learn to Paint, and Art Talk podcasts.

In addition to painting, Lord has explored other aspects of art: Fresco; Etching; San Francisco Tapestry Workshop; Poster designs for Livermore Valley Opera; Art teacher to middle-school boys at the Pacific Boychoir Academy; Hand painted tiles for kitchen and hearth installations; Designed and painted theater stage sets; Teaching watercolor workshops and the drawing fundamentals of  perspective.