Katy Caroline – Local Outer Banks Artist Brings Natural Ability & Hard Work to the Canvas…but More Importantly, She’s Super Nice!

Posted on January 26, 2011

Katy Caroline - Close Up Passionvine

We’ve mentioned Katy Caroline a couple times on this blog (here & here), and I’d like to congratulate Katy on her continued success. The Outer Banks Voice recently wrote a great article about Katy, and it highlights many of the reasons that Katy is gaining recognition as a great artist…on and off the OBX.

I’ll recap some of Katy’s history, but to start I’d like to mention an intangible that the Outer Banks Voice article doesn’t mention; Katy’s great personality.

As the article mentions, prior to diving into painting head first, Katy spent much of her time working at the Nags Head Animal Hospital. During the time Katy was working there, I was fortunate enough to trick one of Katy’s fellow employees into marrying me. So I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Katy through my wife since her Animal Hospital days, and I can unequivocally say that Katy’s success with painting has as much to do with her natural ability as it does with her exceptional personality.

Katy always has a smile on her face, and her upbeat energy is contagious and lets you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is happy to see you. This personality shows in her paintings through the bright colors and the happy scenes her brush strokes create. Her personality and the personality of her subject seem to come together in a soup of happiness that jumps off the canvas.

Katy Caroline - Putting the Steak on the Grill

Katy’s personality also shines through on the business side of painting. The business side of art can be somewhat draining for the artist, but Katy embraces it with the same enthusiasm she dedicates to her painting. The article mentions Katy’s “Sip and Dip” painting classes, and there’s no question that these classes are so popular not only due to Katy’s great instruction but also because people like to be around Katy. She keeps life simple and fun…just the way art should be.

As a side note, shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone just yet, but Katy is going to join our Club Seaside 2011 lineup of events. The details are still being ironed out, and I’ll leave the focus of this post on Katy, but please keep an eye out for our Club Seaside announcement coming soon.

Now on to some more about Katy’s background. I think Katy’s art speaks for itself, but she has a pretty cool story, so it’s worth taking a quick look in the “way back machine.”

Katy Caroline Gullett was born on June 18^th 1981, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
She ended up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 1997, where she eventually graduated from high school in 1999.
After graduating, she went out west to Colorado to pursue snowboarding when, after her third winter there, she was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease and was told to rest for two years.
So, back on the Outer Banks “resting,” she decided to get her associates degree at the local community college.
In an effort to satisfy her art requirements, she took a painting class. Her instructor quickly noticed her talent and began to encourage her to paint on a regular basis.
Along with this encouragement, she earned best in show at the art competition held by the school that semester.
It was in that moment, when she first saw that purple ribbon on her painting, she knew that being a painter could be an attainable dream.

Katy’s life has never been the same. Immediately following that purple ribbon she landed her first commissioned job, and she hasn’t looked back. Since then, she has done many commissioned works from murals, to trompe l’oeils, to illustrations. Last fall she finally got the opportunity to paint what she wants and has been painting to her heart’s content. She has said when she looks around she is like a kid in a candy store; taking in colors and textures, all in new perspectives. Her visual senses have been awakened to a new level that stimulates different thoughts and feelings.

Can you imagine discovering such a great skill in your 20’s…by accident?! Kind of gives us all hope. Maybe you are the next great painter….probably worth signing up for one of Katy’s “Sip and Dip” classes to find out!

Katy’s career is just taking off. And with her natural charm, plus her natural painting ability, the sky is the limit…oh yeah, not to mention her exceptional dedication to her craft.

Congrats Katy! We’re looking forward to seeing a big 2011 for you.

Outer Banks Art Show

Posted on September 28, 2010

Katy Caroline, a local Outer Banks painter, is the featured artist in Our State Magazine for the month of October, and she’s using it a great excuse to have an art show/party at ARTspace in Southern Shores on October 9th.

Outer Banks Art Show - Katy Caroline

Amazing Local Artist Featured on the Outer Banks

Posted on February 16, 2010

Katy Caroline - Close Up Passionvine

Katy Caroline - Green Machine

Katy Caroline is Featured Artist for February

Katy Caroline is an amazing local painter on the Outer Banks. Katy’s career is just taking off, but what she lacks in experience, she more than makes up for in breathtaking natural ability and hours of hard work with a paint brush in hand.

Katy is the featured artist for February for the Dare County Art’s Council.

Katy Caroline’s “Bid in a Box” show opened at the Dare County Art’s Council on Friday, February 5th with a reception at the DCAC Gallery, located at 104 Sir Walter Raleigh Street in downtown Manteo. The usual lively atmosphere at the Gallery was enhanced with light fare, libations and live music from Ed Tupper and Becky Kessler.

On Friday, February 12th, Katy hosted a “Demo Day,” where she lectured a bit and demonstrated her technique.

On Thursday, February 18th, you can stop by the show for your chance to win a pet portrait, available for this one day only. Katy will be there painting as well. The winner for this will be drawn at the end of the day.

You can become a Fan on Katy’s FaceBook page or visit her website to get updates on events and contact Katy to purchase one of her dazzling paintings.

: Katy Caroline – Putting the Steak on the Grill

Katy’s Bio:
Katy Caroline Gullett was born on June 18^th 1981, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Due to matters out of her parents’ hands, she moved constantly as a child. That is, until she ended up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 1997, where she eventually graduated from high school in 1999. After that she went out west to Colorado to pursue snowboarding when, after her third winter there, she was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease and was told to rest for two years. So, back on the Outer Banks “resting,” she decided to get her associates degree at the local community college. In an effort to satisfy her art requirements, she took a painting class. Her instructor quickly noticed her talent and began to encourage her to paint on a regular basis. Along with this encouragement, she earned best is show at the art competition held by the school that semester.

It was in that moment, when she first saw that purple ribbon on her painting, she knew that being a painter could be an attainable dream. She immediately sought out to get her first job and since then, has done many commissioned works from murals, to trompe l’oeils, to illustrations. Last fall she finally got the opportunity to paint what she wants and has been painting to her heart’s content. She has said when she looks around she is like a kid in a candy store; taking in colors and textures, all in new perspectives. Her visual senses have been awakened to a new level that stimulates different thoughts and feelings. And so, her collection right now is just all about exploration of color, style, and texture. Although her subject matter remains the same. That is, the ideallyc scenery of her home town of the Outer Banks.