Biography

American and French artist Carol Denn grew up in Yorktown, Virginia. She graduated with a BA in Art History with a minor in Communications from the University of Georgia in 2000.

In Paris, Carol studied figure drawing for three years with the ADAC studios and a semester of oil painting at the L'Ecole du Beaux Arts, Paris.

She completed her Masters in Fine Art at Bath Spa University in the UK in 2008 where her exhibition resulted in a sell out show. UK based artist Carol Denn lives and works from her studio near Bath.

Artist Statement

I am creating contemporary oil paintings with collage on linen canvas. The raw linen canvas remains visible and a feature in this work. I create an outline using as few marks or brush strokes as possible while maintaining an image that is instantly recognisable. I create narratives with paint, collage, text, fabric, stencils and objects around a central theme such as nature, memories and childhood.

While my work is representational I am also interested in creating different visual planes by mixing flat areas of paint and stencil with hand painted elements and tactile objects that sit in low relief like keys, bees or fabric in my paintings. References to nature can be found throughout my work with found objects such as bees or depicting antlers in paint in response to the growing concern the world is facing with regards to the environment.

Having grown up in historical Yorktown, Virginia and now living near Bath, in the UK, history and storytelling are vibrant parts of my paintings. Alongside having a strong graphic sense probably from my degree in Communications, years of life drawing has led me to paint the essence of what I represent in hand painted outlines contrasted with flat areas of colour. 

The tactile nature of the paintings create an intimate space where viewer is drawn in to examine the different textures, depths and objects that project slightly out. Some of the collage elements in this work are very personal and others have different layers of symbolic meaning depending on how the viewer interprets them such as rusty keys or butterflies that often project out of the painting in low relief. This participation of the viewer to create their own narrative based on the meaning they bring to the collaged objects is what makes these works different for everyone.

Mayor of Bath and Carol Denn at MA exhibition

Exhibitions

2010
Central South, RUH hospital in Bath, UK Oct.-Nov. 2010

Consuming Nature, The Octagon, Milsom Place, Bath, UK
June 2010

2009 6@TheOctagon, Fringe Arts Festival Bath, England
2008 Masters of Fine Art Exhibition, Bath Spa University
2008 MA Interim Show, School Gallery, Bath Spa University
2007 L'Horizon, Monaco

Private Commissions

2008-2009 collage painting consisting of 9 smaller canvases hinged together Private Collection, 5 portrait commissions two of which were double portraits Private Collection

Education

2007- 2008 MA in Fine Art from Bath Spa University, England

2003-5 Three years of figure/life drawing study at the Lycee Henri IV Paris, ADAC studio, working in oil, pastels and charcoal
2003-4 Attended weekly Art History Conferences at L'Ecole du Louvre Paris
2003 Semester of oil painting at the Ecole de Beaux Arts Paris

2000 BA in Art History minor in Communications University of Georgia, USA
1998 Study Abroad in Paris through Wells College, Life Drawing and photography at Parsons College

 © 2010 Carol Denn. All Rights Reserved. This website, its contents, photos and artwork may not be reproduced without the artist's permission