Spofford, NH artist Carol Corliss’ love of nature combined with the beauty of our natural surroundings is a constant inspiration for her pastel paintings.

NH artist Carol Corliss has always had some form of artistic expression in her life. Her love of art started in primary school and while life’s demands pushed in many directions, art in many forms has been a constant in her life. Through her adult life, she ventured into ceramics, owning her own shop and teaching classes, gardening, cake decorating, chair caning, knitting, porcelain dolls, needlepoint, quilting, sewing, woodworking, and cooking along with many others - anything with her hands. None of these quite fulfilled her artistic sensibility until in 2001 she discovered pastels and was drawn to the vibrant colors, getting her fingers in touch with the buttery-soft pastel sticks and what they can be made to do. She is a member of the Pastel Society of New Hampshire, Vermont Pastel Society and member and past treasurer of both the Monadnock Area Artists Association and Saxtons River Art Guild. She is also is co-founder of the River Valley Artisan Tour.
Carol works at her studios in Spofford and exhibits throughout New England. Her work can be found in private collections from the Northeast to Florida and also on her website: www.carolcorlissfineart.com

Artist statement

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." - Henry Ward Beecher

"I love to paint, because I paint what I love."

I completed a few paintings before I realized how important this was to me. If I don't have a connection to the subject matter, my heart isn't in it. I remember my very first painting in an art class. The teacher chose a subject I would not have chosen. To this day that painting still sits unfinished as a reminder to me that I need a link to the subject. When there is that special connection, the painting almost paints itself. Capturing that true sense of time and place, my art is primarily inspired by the magnificent scenery and abundant wildlife that surrounds us here in New England with occasional scenes from my travels. I see beauty everywhere and hope that my paintings convey this to the viewer.


The 13th century poet & philosopher Rumi said it best:

"Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do"
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