Page 9 - San Diego Woman Magazine

Women of Distinction

subjects to sit still for long room for their lifetime and
periods, so I will often work will often become treasured
from photographs that are family heirlooms passed on
presented to me. For exam- to subsequent generations."
ple, it is hard to get family Aside from Carly's
pictures where everyone is gallery showings, por-
smiling and happy simul- traits, and landscape oil
taneously. So, clients will paintings, she also loves
provide me with their fa- participating in art festivals
vorite shots of each of them and Plein-air events. I had
and their children and pets, never heard of Plein-air
and I will blend it all into events, so I asked Carly to
an oil painting that shows explain the concept. "I love
each family member with to paint Plein-air, which
their best smiles." The result is painting outdoors live. I
of these photos is a master- love being outside. And if I
piece that will be cherished get to go outside and paint
for generations to come. whatever the scene is, the
Carly's background in desert, the ocean, anything,
illustration allows her to I thoroughly enjoy it. So, I
create these oil paintings do two festivals yearly, one
from scratch. "One com- in San Clemente and one
mission I recently had was in Oceanside. These are
a woman who had given competitions where you
birth, but unfortunately, paint for an entire week,
her Dad died shortly before and then at the end of the
her daughter was born. She week, all the artists bring
provided me with pictures in the paintings they have
of her Dad and asked me to done during that week,
create a painting with her and experts in the art field
Dad holding her newborn judge their work. The one
daughter. And that was a in Oceanside was at the
really neat painting to do. it Oceanside Museum of Art.
was a very touching mo- It was great."
ment when I brought her Carly sold out all her
Dad back to life holding his paintings, which was not a
brand new granddaughter." big surprise after I saw some
When Carly presented this of the results of her week
painting to the new Mom, I of Plein-air Painting. A
knew there wasn't a dry eye versatile painter, Carly is as
in the house. happy painting portraits as
"It's definitely much she is landscapes and even
more rewarding than doing pet portraits. The truth is
illustrations for a magazine. that she just loves to paint.
When you do this type of This is obvious as one of
art, you are painting for her most recent endeavors
people. You are touching was painting backgrounds
somebody's life, and they'll for her girls' upcoming
have it forever and treasure Beauty and the Beast per-
it forever, unlike all the oth- formance at the Brooks The-
er magazines that go away ater in Oceanside. "It was so
after the issue is replaced cool; I spent the entire week
with another one. When painting scenery and back-
you are painting for peo- grounds. It reminded me of
ple, you know that you are my time as a children's book
creating memories that will illustrator. I was able to be
probably hang in their living really creative and whim-

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