Caroline Louise Smyth

I am an Irish artist living between Dublin, Ireland and Malaga, Spain. I graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in English Literature and Spanish, and went on to train as a beauty therapist specialising as a make-up artist.

I don't fit the bill for the average artist, or even the exceptional ones. I haven't been to art-college, I only have a limited academic knowledge of art's wonderful history, I don't follow art trends and I don't know the movers and shakers in the art world.

Painting is a deeply personal experience for me. I paint from my heart, allowing my hand to be guided by emotions rather than pre-planned outlines and methods. I come up with a concept, visualise a scene, a moment, a thought, and paint my interpretation of it onto the canvas.
My full-time career in the art business started in my mid 30's, painting and drawing having been side-lined to the time that remained after I worked to build up my full-time career, the automatic-pilot one I slipped into after university 'to pay the bills'. I found success in many areas which thankfully allowed me to leave paid employment and concentrate on my attention on writing my first novel, and creating my first collection of artwork. I tentatively organised my first exhibition and was humbled and amazed, at the feedback I received, and sales that I made although like many artists, parting with my work was rather difficult because each one meant an awful lot to me on a personal level.

My passion for creating images; that magical buzz of anticipation I feel when I have a blank canvas in front of me, the thrill being inspired by an idea through to its translation into specific thoughts, emotions and moments and into a tangible painting, the excitement of knowing I am creating something that never existed before I put brush to canvas, and the never-ending surprise that others can be moved from looking at my work, which is so incredibly personal to me, fills me with a joy that I can only hope will never leave me.

I am lucky to have been able to support myself through the sales of my work in the past and now have committed some of my time and experience to supporting and promoting new Irish art in Ireland and around the world through my website, social media and by organising group exhibitions for them. I look forward to this new challenge while also continuing to draw inspiration from the world around me, allowing it space and time to form into something that I can ultimately translate onto canvas for others to observe, question and enjoy.

B.A., University College Dublin
C.I.B.T.A.C., S.C.D

Festival Internacional de Arte, Marbella, Spain, June 2010

Art Ireland, Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland, November 2008

Toys for Big Boys, Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland, November 2008

Cork Art Fair, City Hall, Cork, Ireland, September 2008

Jun 2012 ‘Summer of Love’(Solo Exhibition) Richmond, London

Mar 2011 ‘A Million Euros of Art’ (Group Exhibition) Marbella, Spain

Feb 2011, Group Exhibition, Casa de Cultura Fuengirola, Spain

Nov 2010- Jan 2011, Group Exhibition, Bad Art Gallery,Dublin, Ireland

Jun 2010, Festival Internacional de Arte, Marbella, Spain

Sep 2009, ‘Original Art at the Step Inn’ (Solo Exhibition) Dublin, Ireland

Jun-Jul 2009, Caroline Louise Art at Los Arqueros (Solo Exhibition), Benahavis, Spain

Apr 2009, ‘3 Days at Las Ventas’(Solo Exhibition), Benahavis, Spain

Nov 2008, Art Ireland, Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland

Nov 2008, Toys for Big Boys, Royal Dublin Society Dublin, Ireland

Sep 2008, Cork Art Fair, City Hall, Cork, Ireland

May 2008, ‘Summer 2008’, Stillorgan Park Hotel (Solo Exhibition), Dublin, Ireland

Dec 2007, ‘The Fine Art Collection Preview’ (Solo Exhibition), Dublin, Ireland

Oct 2007, ‘The Interior Design Collection’ (Solo Exhibition), Dublin, Ireland

Feb 2007, ‘Spanish Passion’(Solo Exhibition), Dublin, Ireland