Interview

Nov 13

Carolyn Strong

Carolyn’s work bridges fine art and photography, drawing from classical composition, painterly light, and an enduring fascination with the human connection to place. Between 2009 and 2020, she had the privilege of building and directing an art enrichment business that provided after-school art education to approximately 800 students weekly. Leading a team of 35 teachers, the program offered hands-on creative experiences that nurtured imagination, curiosity, and confidence in young artists across the community. This chapter of her career deepened her belief in the transformative power of art—its ability to inspire, connect, and leave something lasting behind. Teaching and mentoring young artists has profoundly influenced her creative process, highlighting the importance of patience, curiosity, and listening—whether to a student, a client, or a scene unfolding before the lens. For her, photography is a continuation of that same philosophy: honoring each subject, capturing the emotion in the moment, and creating images that resonate long after they are made.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Northern New Mexico—a place alive with light, culture, and creative expression—shaped the way I see the world. Art was simply part of the landscape. The adobe textures, the way the sun shifted across the mesas, and the hum of creativity in every gallery and studio left a lasting imprint on me. As soon as I got my driver’s license, I would head straight to the art galleries in Santa Fe. I can still picture my skinny, shy 16-year-old self wandering through Canyon Road, completely absorbed in color, light, and form. I didn’t always understand what I was looking at, but I felt it. Those early experiences taught me that art is as much about emotion as it is about technique. I went on to earn a Fine Arts Degree, developing a deeper appreciation for art history and the language of visual composition. But my love of imagery began even earlier—through books. I read constantly as a child, devouring every Wizard of Oz story I could find. Those vivid worlds on the page sparked an early sense of visualization that continues to influence how I create today.

About twelve years ago, I was diagnosed with retinal vasculitis and told I had an 80% chance of losing my vision. It was a moment that shifted everything. I picked up a camera, initially as a way to preserve what I saw. My idea was simple and deeply personal: if I did lose my sight, I would have the images uploaded to a digital frame, and my family could tell me what was on the screen so I could recreate it in my mind’s eye. I have a photographic memory of photographs—each one a map back to the feeling of seeing. Thankfully, I didn’t lose my vision, but that experience profoundly shaped my relationship with photography. What began as an act of preservation became an act of devotion—a way to honor what I see, and to share that sense of wonder and gratitude through my work.”

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What inspires you?

“I’m endlessly inspired by the act of learning—by the process of refining, exploring, and deepening my understanding of both art and myself. Every new skill or collaboration with another photographer pushes me to see differently, to experiment, and to stay curious. Growth, for me, is not a stage of the creative process—it is the creative process. What drives me most is the awareness that the images I create will exist long after I’m gone. Whether it’s a portrait of a bride on her wedding day that's viewed by her grandchildren, or a landscape that time has erased, it doesn’t matter if the viewer knows the story behind it. What matters is that the emotion still reaches them. Preservation, documentation, and the honest expression of feeling—these are the threads that run through my work. Creating is both a responsibility and a privilege: to notice, to translate, to leave something behind that might one day remind someone of beauty, love, or connection. I am inspired by light, color, and the tension between impermanence and permanence. Every image begins as a vision in my mind’s eye—a combination of what is felt and what is seen—and the creative process becomes an act of translation, turning that desire to communicate into form. I’m drawn to the way light reveals emotion and color carries memory, how both can shift within a breath yet leave something enduring behind. My work is a pursuit of that balance: capturing the ephemeral, while honoring what remains.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“The themes I’m most drawn to are connection, stillness, and the quiet harmony between humanity and the natural world. I’m inspired by spontaneous emotion and the sincerity of purpose that appears when people forget the camera is there—when the unguarded beauty of a moment reveals itself. Behind the lens, I find peace, and I hope that sense of calm and presence carries through in my work. Each image is an invitation to pause—to notice light, color, texture, and atmosphere—and to feel the serenity that can exist within a single, fleeting instant when everything aligns. Light and color are my language. Through them, I try to express both the emotional and the eternal—the way something can shift within a breath and yet leave an imprint that endures. Beneath it all, my message is simple: beauty and peace are always present, waiting to be seen. My work is both a preservation and a reminder of that truth—the quiet grace of simply being in this world.”

How would you describe your work?

“I would describe my work as crisp, clean, colorful, and cinematic. I’m drawn to images that feel both timeless and alive—where clarity and emotion coexist. My goal is to create photographs that are visually striking yet deeply human, using light and color to tell stories with a sense of atmosphere and depth. Whether it’s an expansive landscape or an intimate portrait , I strive for that cinematic balance between realism and dream.”

Which artists influence you most?

“Oh, Michael Parkes right off the top! Will Bullas, Lynn Lupetti, all elegant and brilliant and mostly gentle. I love newer artists Russel Miyaki, Michele-Poirier Mozzone, Beth Monroe to name just a FEW - I love all kinds of art, sculptures, fibre, film, music, all huge influences.”

“I’m drawn to images that feel both timeless and alive—where clarity and emotion coexist. My goal is to create photographs that are visually striking yet deeply human, using light and color to tell stories with a sense of atmosphere and depth.”

What is your creative process like?

“It’s less about individual artists and more about the mediums and experiences that have shaped the way I see. I’ve always been deeply inspired by film—by the storytelling power of light, composition, and mood. Directors like Guillermo del Toro captivate me with their ability to weave beauty and darkness together, creating worlds that feel both otherworldly and achingly human. His films, from Pan’s Labyrinth to The Shape of Water, remind me that imagination and emotion are inseparable—that the fantastic can illuminate the most truthful parts of our humanity. Cinema, for me, is an education in visual poetry. I’ll often watch movies with the sound off, studying how light moves across a face or how color shifts to evoke emotion. Those lessons find their way into my photography, where I strive to make each frame feel like a scene you could step inside—a fleeting story told through light and atmosphere. I’m equally inspired by the tactile, timeless experience of seeing art in person.
Returning to Canyon Road in Santa Fe still feels like coming home—its mix of contemporary and traditional works reminds me where my love of art began. During my travels abroad, I make a point to visit galleries and museums, each one offering a new lens through which to see the world. One of the most unforgettable moments was standing before The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch in Madrid’s Museo del Prado. The color, chaos, and complexity of that painting are seared into my mind—it’s a masterpiece that bridges beauty and bewilderment in a way that continues to haunt and inspire me. Ultimately, my influences are about emotion and imagination—whether in a darkened theater or a quiet gallery, I’m always drawn to the artists who make us feel something real, something lasting.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“An artist’s role is to reflect and to question, to observe the shifts in our world and decide—carefully, consciously—how to respond. As technology and trends evolve, so must art, but not at the expense of its soul. The key is choice: to follow when inspired, to lead when called, and to always move with intention. In a time when everything accelerates, the artist remains the one who pauses long enough to truly see.”