I met Carol several years ago when we were both part of a pet portrait art exhibition, and instantly felt a warmth and friendliness emanating from her. As our friendship continued, I’ve watched Carol travel through her life with strength, generosity and love. While she is a lover of the arts, Carol is also a huge animal advocate and has opened her home to several homeless pets needing forever families. I once watched Carol give a talk to a large audience about creating pet portraits. The moment she mentioned her beloved dog named Shannon, Carol’s eyes welled up with tears as she paused a moment to collect herself. That touched not only me, but the others listening to her presentation. I was amazed to realize that Carol wears her heart on her sleeve every day. However, don’t let that sensitivity fool you. Carol is tough in spirit, yet still remains a sweet and gentle soul, with an unwavering loyalty to all of those that she loves.

Carol has had her fair share of trials in her life; most recently, successfully battling breast cancer, then enduring the loss of several family members and friends thereafter. While all of this has left Carol spent physically and emotionally, it has not stopped her from opening her heart and home to a beautiful rescue collie/puppy named Abby, while continuing to help others in the art field. What really struck me is that as an artist, Carol will not hesitate to share her knowledge in all aspects of the art world. You see, I learned years ago that in this field artists NEVER share information with other artists. After all, they’re considered “the competition.” Carol, however, clearly ignored this trend by spending a great deal of time sharing with me all of the knowledge she has gained over the years in this industry. Her generous spirit was stunning to see, and she shrugged off my astonishment with a simple “I love to help people I care about.” Carol truly exemplifies a Woman of Substance.