22. Several years ago I developed a three-day, along with an 8-week class, that focuses on color mixing. I LOVE to teach these classes and the response from attendees has always been positive.

22A. (I am cheating and adding another "thing" to my list.) My first collaboration as an artist was with internationally known composer Judith Zaimont, who lived in MN at the time. She wanted to create a poster celebrating women composers over the centuries. How many can you state? Did you know that many of Felix Mendelsohn's works were actually composed by his sister? Or that women were arrested for composing? Below is the graphic that I created as the back drop to hundreds of womens' names. It was an honor and privilege to be a part of this project.


23. Marketing is a concept that I understand and I have executed lots of marketing activities, but I am not particularly good at it for my own work. I want to learn more about how to leverage my knowledge with the vehicles available via the Internet and to do it with glee.

24. Laughing at myself is a real tonic and fun to do with others.

25. Throughout my career, I have completed over 35 commissioned paintings. Upon reflection this past January, I came to the realization that executing and delivering a commissioned painting is deeply satisfying, heart warming, and an artistic challenge I enjoy. Creating a treasured memory for a client is invigorating, consequently I am directing my marketing efforts this year and the future to this end. I call these paintings "Memory Portraits."

THE END of my Random Chronology! Thanks for participating.

19. In 2004, I initiated and curated a regional show to increase awareness about and to commemorate the Minnehaha Creek that travels 22 miles through the Twin Cities (MN). I collaborated with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and The Edina Art Center. The exhibition, entitled "Celebrating 22 Miles," drew over 150 visual artists enteries, resulting in 60 peices being exhibited. 12 of my paintings of Minnehaha Creek were also featured.

20. Cats have been a part of our 25 years of marriage, and currently two charming & sociable orange tabbies, Paynter & Red, entertain us daily. Paynter is known as the professor, ever curious and intense, whereas Red is a simple guy who goes with the flow. They are great buddies and often engage in lick fests.


21. Self-discovery & personal development have been a constant value throughout my life. Artmaking has always given me personal insights as well as the opportunity to communicate a way to view the world. Through my work, I want the viewer to stop, think, emote, speak, dream, imagine, etc., and perhaps learn something about themselves. Showing you why I painted something and sharing that with you is motivating.

...to be continued.

16. Water soluble oil paints were added to my repertoire in 2005. These paints are the perfect solution/compromise for me, since I never cared for acrylics and oil paints are too toxic and slow drying. I have recently learned that water soluble oils are more environmentally friendly than oils or acrylics, and this is important to me. The palette knife is my preferred tool over the brush, because it is cleaner, more physical and textures are easier to create.

17. I strive to be a creative catalyst in everything I do. Creative problem solving revs my juices and the satisfaction of facilitating someone in solving a problem or doing so with my work, makes life worthwhile.

18. Computers and technology are necessary for survival, yet it is best said that I have a love-hate relationship. Over the years, I have forced myself to learn various software programs and I have tried to stay current with Internet trends. Knowing PhotoShop Elements, Power Point & Word is a godsend, as well as maintaining websites of various renditions. Fortunately, my in-house technical assistant, Bob, has supported me in all of these endeavors, unfortunately neither of us has a full comprehension of social networking!

...to be continued.

14. Flowers have been the most constant subject throughout my art career - be they intertwined with musical instruments, gardens of daylilies or roses, or large floral portraits. The rhythms and colors of flowers have always captivated me. Some of my favorites are irises, daylilies and amaryllis - in fact, I was the artist-in-residence for the National Hemerocallis (daylily) Society in 1993.

15. My life's passion is to create paintings, no matter the subject, that transport you to another time and place. Through color, design and subject matter, I want to emotionally draw you into the image and tap your memories, senses and/or imaginations. Like a musician, I choose a color chord for each painting to create a sense of harmony and depth.

...to be continued.

11. After completing my book and its corresponding large body of paintings, my artwork evolved to be inspired by my love of the outdoors. I also began learning the medium of pastels. The challenges of painting on-site were overcome, despite many misshaps, and I learned to cherish working in the woods, at the foot of the mountains or along the river.

12. Of the many awards I have received, the most significant was receiving "The People's Choice Award," because the voters were art lovers, peers and regular viewers. The "First Place Award" at the Minnesota State Fair for a piece with a strong social/political statement was also a memorable highlight. The real thrill is when a viewer suddenly stops, spends time with a piece, engages in conversation and then asks to purchase it. Mutual gratification!

13. Meanwhile, I need to mention a mountain cabin in Colorado along the South Platte River that served as my 'painting escape' sometime in the late 1990's. Every summer I would drive from Minnesota to our cabin (I am the fourth generation owner of this cabin) to rest, restore and create for a month. In 2004, Bob and I made Colorado our permanent home. We live 90 minutes form the cabin in our new home just north of Colorado Springs. That year I also legally changed my name from Carol Virginia Gray to Carol Angeline McIntyre in honor of my great-great-grandmother Angeline Nale, a Native American who married a Scot, John B. McIntyre, in the 1820's.

...to be continued.

8. My hand paintings/drawings became known as hand portraits. I was commissioned by musicians, doctors, gardeners, parents, sewers, etc., to draw their hands. My hand portrait of Rick Aquilera, former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins baseball team, was a true highlight, not only because he was a celebrity but because it was such a delightful collaborative experience. It also allowed me to re-awaken my memories as a closet baseball fan since the age of 12 and he signed a baseball with, "Carol, my hands have never looked so good! Rick"

9. From 1992-94, I served as the President of the Minnesota Watercolor Society which is a volunteer organization with over 300 members. This position not only facilitated my professional growth as an artist and leader in the art community but gave me meaningful friendships and a wonderful network that opened many opportunities.

10. Along the way, I discovered that I do like to write, and this led me to write a memoir (referencing a journal I kept) entitled "Painting My Passion: An Artist's Journey with the Women of the West." A visual artist's voice is rarely heard in words, and this book gives you an illuminating glimpse into my artistic decision making process, musings, struggles & triumphs. 20 of the paintings are reproduced in color.

...to be continued.

4. A brilliant rose pigment leapt from the tip of my brush and swirled across the wet paper to meet the more settled cobalt blue. As they merged in the water, they sometimes mated to make purple, other times they blended into a sweeping swirl of red & blue. Watercolors and I "danced" together for over 15 years. During this time I became involved in several local art groups, became a signature member of the prestigious Transparent Watercolor Society of America, exhibited in several juried art shows, juried a few shows, taught art classes and exhibited in outdoor art fairs.

5. Meanwhile, my husband Bob North, introduced me to women's history in 1983, and unbeknownst to me, the book he gave me "Pioneer Women: Voices from the Kansas Frontier," by Joanna L. Stratton, changed my life. The book chronicles life on the Kansas prairie through autobiographical manuscripts written by hundreds of 19th-Century women. Their stories spoke to me directly and for the first time in my life I found a sense of community. Over 50 books, fiction & non-fiction, about and by the women of the 1800's fill our book shelves. In 1989, I confessed to Emily Ann as she was dying, that I wanted to paint a large series of paintings about these courageous women.

6. It took 5 years before I 'discovered' the image that would commemorate the contributions 19th-Century women made to this country. Their hands became the icon that I used to give them a visual voice. 26 paintings & drawings were created during 6-7 years for my large body of work entitled "No Time for Idle Hands: 19th-Century Women on America's Northern Plains & Prairies." I painted their hands washing clothes, gathering wheat, protecting their children, etc.

7. With this large body of work, I have had 9 exhibitions in 5 different states, 2 national magazine articles, 5 newspaper reviews, several speaking engagements, 1 television spot, 5 awards, 11 sold, 1 stolen, 1 censored, over 15 commissions, taught several artists how to draw the hand, and written a book.

...to be continued.

(These next several blogs are inspired by a Facebook challenge to write 25 Random Things about My Art Business. Enjoy and I look foward to your comments.)

1.When I 36 years old I started to paint, after many years as an educational psychologist and corporate trainer. In January 1987, my late mother-in-law re-introduced me to painting an in a very short time, my career in the business world was over - dissolved in a torrent of watercolor. Everything I had been trained to do in graduate school, a steady paycheck, the daily routines of meetings & reports were left behind. By 1991 I was bucking the system and creating artwork full-time.

2. Throughout my K-12 school years, I drew, painted, sewed, built things out of wood, worked in paper mache and attended small group art lessons after school. I received my frist blue ribbon for an oil painting at the age of 14, but artmaking stopped around the age of 20 for more stable forms of generating income. I walked the halls of public schools as a school psychologist for 5 plus years prior to working in various training departments in high tech companies.

3. Marrying in 1983, at the age of 32, introduced me into a musical and artistic family. My mother-in-law, Emily Ann, learned of my sealed and hidden artistic vault, so she began encouraging me to begin making art again. We did not live in the same state, causing her to send me art books, a set of colored pencils (that I cherish to this day), sketch books, etc. Emily Ann and husband Jack gave me my first set of watercolor paints and brushes in 1987. I dipped my brush in and began.

...To be continued