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Upon graduation from Lewis & Clark, she was hired by the local community college to teach evening art classes and calligraphy. She was also active in the Washington State Arts Commission and directed the SW Washington Arts Festival. Later, she began to win awards at major art competitions in California, where she resided with her husband and their four children at the time. She established an art gallery in the Gold Rush town of Murphys.

Thanks to an accident created by her cat spilling pre-mixed watercolors on her paper, she adopted a highly concentrated style of painting where the rich dark backgrounds of still life and florals popped off the paper. Workshops featuring this dynamic technique became a regular part of her teaching schedule. Numerous awards and accolades followed, including showing at Sacramento art galleries, the Crocker Art Museum, wine label design awards, publications in the American Artist magazine and the book, “How Did You Paint That?”

Carolyn served as an interpretive host at Smith Rock State Park in Oregon, setting up her easel and using art to explain the region’s geology. She was commissioned to illustrate all of the interpretative displays at the Visitor’s Center, as well as the signage for the park’s hiking trails and botanical gardens. Loss of her husband has left a distinct impression on her current work, which is now softer, more atmospheric and introspective. Carolyn’s work is a reflection of her commitment to plein air painting, and often features birds in flight or the natural environment.