Whether recognized as an artist, wife, mother, grandmother, or evangelist, Carolyn Blish's deep personal relationship with the Lord draws her out of her studio to share her faith. Through her art, writing, and speaking, she continues to praise Him in line, color, and word.
Carolyn Blish knows well the hours and effort required for an artist to paint a flower. But for her, painting a flower is a labor of love — a joyful gift that she can share with others; and that is why she loves to paint.
"Whenever I see anything beautiful and serene and happy, I want to share it. One of the best ways of sharing is through limited edition prints. They give me a sense of connection with others I'll never meet and never know. That's what I love about prints."
The paintings of Carolyn Blish are a celebration of life and love. Some subjects, she says, call her to paint them:
"Sometimes the artist chooses the subject, and other times, the subject chooses the artist. An artist visualizes a painting in the mind's eye. No one else knows. But the artist sees the total picture before the first brushstroke."
The late Ruth Graham had the following to say about Carolyn:
"Carolyn Blish had been given a rare talent from God and has given it back to Him in her artwork, immortalizing in watercolor her memories with tenderness, humor, and love."
Carolyn Blish is a former model, actress, and television newscaster who began painting in the early 1950's. Her mother recognized early on that her daughter had artistic gifts. Blish always loved to sketch painted little designs on her saddle shoes. Soon, everyone in her high school wanted similar designs on their shoes. Blish had to hire five friends to keep up with the demand as the fad she originated spread all over town.
"My mother was wonderful. She even let me paint on the walls in my bedroom. She bought me paint and brushes and encourage me from the start."
Blish first began exhibiting her watercolor art nationally in 1965. Watercolor is her preferred medium because of its spontaneous quality:
"In watercolors, nature follows its own course; the artist just helps it along." Children and flowers are two of her favorite subjects that just seem to go together. Both are soft and fresh, fragile and fleeting. With seascapes that beckon, bouquets that enchant, and children who radiate joy, she shares the things she loves most:
"Art is about love, and my language is paint. I want to share with other people the things that I love. My painting reminds me how all beauty points to God, Who is the Creator of all things beautiful. I believe every work of fine art bears witness to Him."
The popularity of Carolyn Blish's art has made it an American standard. A member of the American Watercolor Society, the American Artists Professional League, and Allied Artists of America, Carolyn has enjoyed sold-out exhibitions and shows. She has won awards from such prestigious organizations as The Hudson Valley Art Association, The National Arts Club, and The American Watercolor Society.
Blish transfers her own delight in her subject matter right into her canvases. She has an endless fascination with her subjects: the ever-changing moods and rhythms of the shoreline, the undulating shapes of the dunes, flowers, children, and woodland subjects — all are images that offer authenticity without artifice. They are, Blish says,
"images that call me to be painted." Carolyn Blish's art is indeed a celebration of life.