Bio
Carol Atkins is drawn to the panorama of the ocean, beaches and tropical areas and the beautiful palette they offer the artist in her. She finds inspiration in her surroundings – a sub-tropical paradise featuring an array of colours, birds, marine life all set against the constant background of the ebb and flow of the sea.
Born in Perth in 1967, Carol spent much time travelling along the coast with her parents and sister searching for gemstones. She has vivid memories of big skies, red dirt, open spaces and solitude. At eight she moved with her family to Dunedin in New Zealand, and once again was gifted the abundance of picturesque scenery, space and nature to explore. In her 20’s Carol moved to Sydney and after trying corporate life, decided that studying and working in natural therapies felt far more natural to her. Carol married, had two lovely children, and moved to Byron Bay in early 2000’s.
Carol is largely a self taught artist, and although she has attended a number of artistic workshops over many years, her greatest tutor has been her own life experiences. She has had some very early success through local art competitions in Northern NSW and her work has proven very popular with local, interstate and international buyers.
Fig trees of the rainforest which to Carol represent “forest kings”. Carols imagines these tall and beautiful trees as having years of stories hidden in their branches and their expansive root systems which thrust deep into the earth as representing longevity and stability. This solidarity is at the same time offset by the lightness and simpleness of their proximity to the ocean with its majestic seascapes and colourful vistas. Her paintings depict this complexity and are rendered in a beautiful, vibrant palette. The layered detail offers the viewer both initial intrigue and depth of discovery.
Carol’s artistic joy is simple – she revels in life and nature. For her, being in the sea or catching a wave and looking back to shore; revelling in the shades of the sand; in trees being illuminated and dancing in the sunlight; in clouds drifting by and their differing textures and hues appearing as the sun shifts and the light changes, is all it takes to inspire her next painting.
Carol Atkin’s work is held in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, New York, Hawaii and the United Kingdom.