Carol McGraw - Artist

Testimonial

“We met Carol McGraw when she volunteered to help judge Middle School artwork for a PTA Reflections Program.

She invited us to a show where some of her artwork was on display and, since then, we have followed her career through attending various shows and studio tours.

We currently own six McGraw paintings which grace the walls of our home, including “The Crow Maiden Waves Goodbye,” “Daffodils,” and “Phoenix Rising.”

We love Carol’s use of color and form and love watching the evolution of her work over the years. The paintings reflect different phases of her art, yet provide a cohesive tapestry of style, color, and movement.

Each day, Carol’s art has provided us with joy.”

– William and Lisa Feustle, Baltimore County, MD, 2017

About Carol

I was born the third of eight children in Rochester, New York, in 1956. When I was nine years old, my father accepted a new job in Phoenix, Arizona, and my family moved to a new home in the Southwest.

I was dubbed “The Artist” of the family when I was young because I could usually be found curled up in the corner of the family room couch, sketching, or working on other arts and crafts projects. It was my calm in the middle of the storm that was the everyday ruckus of my large family. Being a shy child, I learned to use my art to express my feelings.

I chose to major in Studio Art at Arizona State University for the sole reason that I loved to draw. Something changed, though, when I took my first required painting class. There was something about the physicality of standing at the easel, dabbing my brush into that array of colors on the palette, and feeling the brushstrokes flow from somewhere within. There was no turning back. When I graduated with my B.A. in 1979, I was a painter at heart.