About

ARTIST STATEMENT

My creative process combines my pioneer-spirited West Texas roots with my New Orleans cultural life, throwing in Mardi Gras for lagniappe–a little something extra.

I paint or mosaic with paper and most of my current artistic projects are mixed media paper, pen, and paint collage and assemblage. I enjoy making torn primitive representations as much as precision-cut pieces. My work has been influenced by photographs I’ve taken in New Orleans or from my travels. I incorporate quotes, lyrics, or poems to further elucidate the theme and to stir emotion. Visual texture and bright color are representative in my art. I also do traditional mosaics of unique contemporary design. Crafting various projects rounds out my artistic representation. I am enthusiastic about learning new techniques that I can combine with my current interests to produce exciting aesthetic experiences for the viewer.

BIOGRAPHY

Carol M. Lynch has continually incorporated collage in the arts- and crafts she creates while raising her family in the uniquely creative city of Metairie/New Orleans since 1991. In her sixties, Carol realizes that her life of crafting is art. She began creating collages on canvas in 2021.

Since 1998, she has been heavily involved with the Mardi Gras culture of New Orleans, designing and creating costumes, headpieces, queens’ collars and trains, sequined appliques, graphic arts, centerpieces and shadow boxes to commemorate events. She served on the cast of the Louisiana Renaissance Festival for 15 years as the Garb Mistress, creating and designing garb and improvising the character of Lady Blarney. She wrote Opening Gate shows, created a tailor shoppe, and taught improvisation to the Cast. Currently she serves as a Board Member for the Joan of Arc Project. She won the 2023 Joan of Art Contest with her Collage, Ashes to Ashes. Finding some blank wooden post cards in a thrift store led to a continuing series of wooden, collaged post cards of scenes of New Orleans.  For a parade throw (a giveaway) in the 2023 Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc parade, she distributed a collection of wooden postcard collages depicting Joan of Arc. As a costume designer and sewist since 1979, she has been influenced by the colors, patterns and styles of costumes throughout history. This time in her life is devoted to learning about paper and textile collage and assemblage specifically and art education in general.