Member Biography

Carol S. Hartsock Photo

ARTIST STATEMENT

"Faces, people, cultures, integrity, pride, curiosity, survival and tradition–these are the driving forces in my work."

Art is a universal language through which one provokes thought and shares one’s emotions. When people who view my work see in the eyes and faces of these people what I have seen, then there is communication.

Good fortune has given me the opportunity to come face to face with people in many corners of the world; neighbors at our villa in Hanoi; local farmers on a trip across Tibet; Aeta hill-tribe people and jungle survival trainers in the Philippines; wedding guests in India; craftspeople of Thailand; powwow participants; and most recently Maasai herders and guides while on safari and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Many of these faces will soon join those of the Aetas, Vietnamese, Thais, Chinese, Sikhs, Hindus, Native Americans, and American farmers in my continuing documentation of the sameness of our differences.

I received my formal artistic training at the University of Cincinnati where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Art Education in 1979. Throughout the late 70’s and early 80’s I explored and exhibited a range of media including soft sculpture, graphics and abstracts. In 1982 and 1983, while living in Boston, I developed and exhibited a unique body of paper weavings while exploring visual perception.

By mid-1984, I found myself living and working in Hong Kong where I resided for the following seven years. During that time, I traveled throughout Asia and was repeatedly captured by the depth, variety and language of faces I encountered. The result was a series of oil paintings which grew out of this kaleidoscope of cultures and colors. This series was exhibited in Hong Kong.

In 1991, I returned to the U.S. and once again took up residency in Washington State. In 1994 I had a solo museum exhibit at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, WA, which allowed me to bring all these cultures together in one arena in the U.S. More recently my work has taken yet another direction—a series of works in progress of the Native American culture, Tibetans and Tanzanians.

My hope is that some day all cultures and races will be looked upon with equal value and respect and if in some small way my work aids this process, my mission is successful.

MUSEUM & SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2006

  • Boulder, CO–NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) (July-August)

2001

  • Lake Stevens, WA—City Hall Gallery

1997

  • Bellevue, WA—Enterprise Bank Sponsored Exhibit

1994

  • Seattle, WA—“Faces of Reality”—Frye Art Museum

1987

  • Hong Kong—“Moments in Asia”—Alvin Gallery

1985

  • Hong Kong—Nineteen 97 Gallery

RECENT GROUP EXHIBITS

2006

  • Farmington, NM – “Gateway to Imagination: A National Juried Art Competition” – Farmington Museum (May 6-July 31, 2006)
  • Seattle, WA – “Women Painters of Washington: Celebration III” – Columbia Center Gallery (May 1-July 31, 2006)
  • Chelsea, NY – “Divertimento” – Amsterdam Whitney Gallery – Three Person Exhibit (April 28-May 23, 2006)
  • Denver, CO – "Faces & Places" - Wilson Adams Gallery - Two Person Exhibit (March 17-April 29)

2005

  • Seattle, WA - "Women Painters of Washington" - Bank of America Gallery (October-December, 2005)
  • Port Townsend, WA - "Art Port Townsend / Expressions Northwest" - Northwind Arts Center, Jefferson Arts Alliance and Port Townsend Arts Commission's 7th Annual Juried Art Exhibition (October 8-30, 2005)
  • Bellevue, WA - "Women Painters of Washington 2005 Membership Show" - New Dimensions Gallery (October 3-29, 2005)

2004

  • Anacortes, WA - "WPW Juried Exhibit" Depot Arts Center
  • Renton, WA – "WPW Members Show" - Flamingo Gallery

2003

  • Kirkland, WA—“WPW Members Show” —Lakeshore Gallery
  • Ocean Shores—“Associated Arts of Ocean Shores 2003 Fine Art Juried Show”—Ocean Shores Convention Center
  • Perry, FL—“2003 Progress Energy Florida International”—Main Street Galleries

2002

  • Boise, ID—“First Annual Art Source Gallery Juried Art Exhibit”—Art Source Gallery
  • Farmington, NM—“Northwest New Mexico Arts Council National Juried Art Show 2002”
    Farmington Museum at Gateway Park
  • Germantown, TN—“Memphis/Germantown Art League’s Seventh National Juried Exhibition”—
    Germantown Performing Arts Center

2001

  • Laredo, TX—“IX Annual International Juried Show”—Laredo Center for the Arts
  • Soho, NY—“Faces of Reality”—Agora Gallery
  • Chautauqua, NY—“44th Chautauqua National Exhibition of American Art”—Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts
  • Seattle, WA—“LINKAGES Human Figure 2001”—Fountainhead Gallery

AWARDS

2003

  • Ocean Shores, WA—Honorable Mention—“Associated Arts of Ocean Shores 2003 Fine Art Juried Show”—Ocean Shores Convention Center

2002

  • Germantown, TN —Merit Award— “Memphis/Germantown Art League’s Seventh National Juried Exhibition”—Germantown Performing Arts Center
  • Farmington, NM—Honorable Mention— “Northwest New Mexico Arts Council National Juried Art Show 2002”—Farmington Museum at Gateway Park2001
  • Chautauqua, NY—Bush Industries Award (Monetary Award)—“44th Chautauqua National Exhibition Of American Art”—Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts
  • Laredo, TX—Honorable Mention—“IX Annual International Juried Show”--Laredo Center for the Arts

 

CORPORATE & PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

  • USA—NewYork, Massachusetts, Washington, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, California
  • INTERNATIONAL—Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, France

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Associate Member, Oil Painters of America
  • Dues Chair, Women Painters of Washington
  • Painting Demonstrator, Frye Art Museum, Seattle
  • Arts Commissioner, Lake Stevens Arts Commission, Lake Stevens, WA (2001-2)

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

  • Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, Chelsea, NY
  • JSL Fine Arts Gallery, Danville, CA
  • Wilson Adams Gallery, Denver, CO

Carol S. Hartsock
Snohomish, WA
csh@cshfineart.com
Oils
Oil Pastel


Heavy Load
Heavy Load
oil • 40 x 32"

 

 

 

Little Shamba
Little Shamba
oil • 40 x 32"

 

 

 

Maasai Child II
Maasai Child II
oil • 40 x 32"

 

 

Maasai Woman
Maasai Woman
oil • 20 x 16"

 

 

 

All artwork is the coprighted
property of the artist.

 

More of Carol's artwork
can be seen at
cshfineart.com


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