Carol Santora

A genuine love of animals resonates in the pastel portraits by Kennebunk, Maine, artist Carol Santora. Born and raised in Leominster, Mass., she went to school to become a nurse but soon realized her artistic passsion and the inner urge to create couldn’t be denied.

Santora enrolled in Framingham State College and majored in painting with an emphasis on art history and sculpture. She graduated summa cum laude, and for the next several years, the artist taught drawing and painting in her studio and at the Fitchburg Art Museum.

Santora realized early on that she had a special gift for animal portraiture, depicting both wild and domestic creatures. She travels to farms and conservation areas to observe and photograph domestic animals and wildlife in captivity. As her reputation has grown, Santora has been commissioned to create artworks of deceased pets for various animal owners.

Santora is represented by the Northlight Gallery in Kennebunkport and the Carver Hill Gallery in Rockport, Maine. The artist has exhibited in shows across the United States, St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and France. She currently operates out of her gallery in Kennebunk. Her professional affiliations include a juried membership in the Art Guild of the Kennebunks.

Artist Statement:

“I love animals; I always have, and painting them is my passion. It’s their faces that attract me, especially the inquisitive expressions and soft eyes of cows and sheep and the majestic independence of moose and big cats.

“Painted in intimate close-ups, my animals are expressionistic and often whimsical. My goal in painting an animal is to express my passion for it with excitement and energy by pushing the boundaries of color. Working in soft pastel, I use vibrant colors to convey a sense of vitality, and the clean, intense pigmentation allows me to create my sensitive, insightful interpretations.

“My contemporary style communicates my personal vision. As I work, a completely realistic depiction gives way to a more artistic, contemporary rendering that serves my colorist and expressive purposes.”

For more information, call 207-985-2830; e-mail santora@carolsantora.com; visit www.carolsantora.com.