Carol was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but moved to the West shortly after her college graduation. She resided in Montana full-time for more than 30 years, and now divides her time between Scottsdale, Arizona, and the Flathead Valley, Montana. Carol's formal training and first careers were in the fields of education, psychology and counseling, and her fascination with the human spirit is clearly reflected in the intimate figurative paintings that she creates.
In addition to the wide variety of subject matter that interests Carol, her paintings of "street people" have evolved into a fulfilling event for her, in which she spends time with and gets to know her subject and his or her “story”. She has been told by her subjects, who often go unnoticed in society, that they feel "recognized" and respected through her portrayals of them. She donates a portion of her sales from these paintings to charities that support the arts and basic needs for children and families in need.
Carol also enjoys painting animals and scenes from Western life, including the musicians that she meets in her travels. Much of her work is derived from time spent in her beloved desert and mountain environments, observing, interacting with and photographing references for her future work.
She is a Signature Member of the American Watercolor Society, the San Diego Watercolor Society, the Northwest Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, the Louisiana Watercolor Society, the Missouri Watercolor Society, the Montana Watercolor Society, and the Arizona Watercolor Association.
In addition to frequent participation in juried exhibitions and annual shows, a selection of Carol's work and current show information may be viewed on the Carol McSweeney Artist Facebook page. Please contact her through this personal website, however, for pricing and inquiries. If you feel drawn to a particular painting, let’s see if we can find a way for it become yours!