Carol Carpenter

Tropical Depression, original 30x40 abstract expressionist acrylic painting

Inspired by the always-changing beauty of nature, artist Carol Carpenter works from a place of spontaneity and self-discovery. Her blending of observation and imagination coalesces in vivid colors across the canvas. The American artist’s vibrant work conveys a sense of wonder and her lifelong interest in the great outdoors while also bringing introspective expression to her abstract paintings.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1948, Carpenter graduated from Antioch University with a dual major in art and psychology. She began painting and exhibiting seriously in the 1980s. 

With a focus on the Abstract Expressionist style, Carpenter uses oil paint, acrylics and watercolors in a methodical, multi-stage application of color and forms. Using photographs and computer images as references, she overlays colors of varying media to produce distinct textures. She begins by spraying pigment onto a surface, creating an “under-painting.” As the initial application dries, darker and lighter spots appear, creating abstract forms. 

Alongside her painting practice, she worked as a mental health research associate at the National Institute of Mental Health, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. Carpenter retired from a 35-year career teaching art at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland. She continues to paint and bring colorful new worlds to life from her studio in Columbia, Maryland.

Find original Carol Carpenter paintings on 1stDibs.