Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolyn Propst.
Carolyn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been painting since I was four years old and am now a senior at the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art. I started seeing myself seriously as an artist in my junior year of high school at Pace Academy with encouragement from my teacher, Donice Bloodworth. I always knew painting was a part of my identity but never saw it as how I should live my life until then.
Since that time, I have been taking commissions and building my own body of work and have had little time for much else. I justify leaving the studio to socialize because much of the inspiration for my personal work comes from interactions with friends and living outside of myself. I’m passionate about connecting the social aspects of art with the intellectual, so much of my work for local bands finds its way into reference material for larger oil paintings.
The most important part of my practice is bringing non-art world people a glimpse of what it is like to live with and understand art because I often find myself with one foot in both worlds. I’ve found this brings together people who never would have met otherwise and fostered conversations outside the traditional scope of the studio.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Art is never a smooth road. By nature, it is constant inward reflection and expression that is put up for critique in front of peers and professors and then torn apart. It’s brutal and nasty and cruel and wonderful.
My work is my way of coping with a very deep anxiety over time and permanence, so learning to have mistakes in my work and mistakes in my person up for discussion has been the biggest struggle.
But it is absolutely a blessing to be able to understand myself better through those conversations and struggling with a canvas.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the C. Propst Art story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in large scale crowd paintings from disposable camera photographs and hand printed band posters. Two very different styles, but two equally dear parts of my heart. I am most proud of my growth as an artist in developing my style over the past year and my dedication to learning more and never trusting that my best is good enough.
I’m also proud of being able to work with almost anyone because I want everyone to feel connected to art in some way and I will do whatever it takes to make sure people understand what they are seeing.
I work directly with the bands I make art for, and AFTM has been the closest relationship to date. I collaborate with the whole band to get input for each song that needs cover art and what they want to convey to their listeners.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m lucky to have the support of my family and friends in doing what I love for a living. I hope that I never take that for granted because it’s the best luck I could have ever wished for.
I’m also lucky to have been born when and where I was because I know so many opportunities have come from that simple fact and I pray that I don’t ever forget that.
Contact Info:
- Website: cpropstart.com
- Email: cpropst.art@gmail.com
- Instagram: @cpropst_art
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