A monthly column that keeps its finger on the pulse of Forsyth’s artists and their inspiring stories
This month’s featured artist, Carolina Corona, transforms colorful acrylics and watercolors into mindful representations of how she sees beauty in the natural world with all of its elements. She shares her desire to spread awareness of Earth’s resilience and power while encouraging others to protect and appreciate it.
Carolina Corona | Owner of Corona Fine Art, Painter, and Art Instructor
How would you describe your work?
I am constantly inspired by nature, and my work reflects the beauty of my surroundings. My work also embraces the concept of women in nature and discusses freedom through the natural. In addition, my paintings depict images from my travels in detailed and colorful acrylic and watercolor strokes. I enjoy exploring nature and combining rich color with variety in line and shape to depict the immense diversity in the natural world.
What influences your art most?
My work is influenced by nature most of all. My desire is to bring awareness to the diversity of the Earth and spread an environmentalist message. Nature’s beauty is my daily inspiration. I am in awe of the Earth’s resilience and power. People and culture also inspire me. I’ve done commissioned portraits of locals and also of my family.
How have you evolved, personally, as an artist?
My art has allowed me to grow in many ways, continuing my education about the world around me. Studying nature’s wonders and developing a deeper connection with the Earth has allowed me to find peace in the most turbulent of times. My passion for art and the environment has also inspired me to do pro-bono work with multiple local organizations. Through this work, I’ve met people with similar goals to mine, and I have learned from their experiences. Teaching one-on-one art lessons has allowed me to meet new people from different backgrounds than mine. Even though we’re different, we’re connected by one similar goal: Art.
You are a big advocate for practicing mindfulness as a form of art and self-care. Can you tell us a little more about that?
I recently hosted a mindful collage workshop at the Stokes County Mental Health Association. The purpose of this workshop was to help individuals connect with their inner wisdom and get to know themselves better through intuitive art making, without any art experience. I also post nature journaling videos on my youtube channel, Corona Fine Art, with tips on how to use this as a tool for relaxation and self-care. I will be continuing to do workshops like this because I want others to be more in touch with their creativity, to practice mindfulness, and to develop a deeper connection to the Earth.
How do you carve out time to be creative?
Before starting my own business and dedicating more of my time to making art, I wasn’t able to fully exercise my creativity because I was spending all of my time on my previous job. When I started my art business, I was able to be creative every day and continue learning new things. Nowadays, I have time to be creative and make art every day.
What are you working on that excites you right now?
I am always working on sharing my art with others. I offer my original and archival products through my online shop, scheduled studio visits, instructional videos, in-person one-on-one lessons, group workshops, cataloging of art collections, mindful art workshops, and much more. I want to provide the community with opportunities to be engaged in the arts without feeling pressure to create a “beautiful” piece of art or feeling fear of failure. There is always something new for me to learn and explore, new people for me to meet and get to know, and that is what excites me the most!
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with fellow artists?
My advice to fellow artists, especially the ones just starting out, is don’t give up; everything is possible with hard work, perseverance, and resourcefulness. If art is what you want to do, you need to find time to create and express yourself regardless of what others say.
If you are interested in learning more about Carolina Corona, you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook @coronafineart as well as find her work online at www.coronafineart.com. You can also check out her work this month locally at her home studio, by appointment only.
