The Artist
Carly Isabel is an American painter and illustrator inspired by storytelling. She is currently traveling abroad as she graduated in 2024 for her BFA in Drawing and Painting with an emphasis in Illustration at Laguna College of Art and Design. Her work follows a unique tale about the discovery of nature’s seasons through a collection of paintings and a series of writings.
Influenced by the Rococo and Romanticism art movements, the subjects in Carly’s paintings are portrayed in a focused yet subliminal manner. One of her focuses as an artist is to create a more sustainable practice during her painting process. She connects most with her work when her art acts as a placeholder for words.
Artist Statement
Literature holds a unique power to articulate my thoughts and emotions when I struggle to express them myself. To me, words convey personal visual language. Each of my painting’s processes is influenced by a piece of writing, facilitated by a simple sketch with minimal composition changes, and a direct painting application. Depicting scenes that encapsulate my literary narratives, I find that the beauty of reading a painting lies in its ability to evoke multiple, personalized perceptions.
Awards, Events, & Publications
Laguna College of Art and Design Merit Scholarship (2020-24), Plotkin Memorial Foundation Award and Show (2023), LCAD Competitive Scholarship (2023), LCAD Fine Art Student Representative (2022-23), 14th Annual American Association of University Women Laguna Beach Art Salon Guest Artist (2023), AAUW Literary Luncheon Guest Artist (2023), Oil Painters of America 4th Student Portrait Competition- 2nd place (2024), Watercolor West Scholarship Recipient (2024), LCAD Gallery Senior Show (2024), Billis Williams Gallery Group Show The Future of the Figure (2024), Stories and Insight interview with Canvas Rebel (2024), International Artist Resident with Château d'Orquevaux Artists & Writers Residency (2025), Painting Donation to the Permanent Collection of the Château d'Orquevaux International Artists & Writers Collection (2025).
Education
BFA Drawing and Painting with an Emphasis in Illustration (4.0 GPA) Laguna College of Art and Design — 2024