Carrie Venezia's intense love for painting and photography was formed as a small child living on the Jersey Shore with her single mother. "I remember when I was very young, watching my mother paint with oils, as she would mesmerize me for hours with her brilliant use of color. When she gave me her box of chalk pastels to paint with, I could not believe all those beautiful colors were in one box."
Venezia (pronounced "Ve NET zia") has always been an artist, only circumstance caused a detour for a few years. At the age of 20, she married and began to raise a family. Any thought of a career in art had to be put on hold. After one unsuccessful marriage and two children, Carrie remarried and with the support of her new husband, she was able to pursue her dream.
"I really love the whole process of creating art, whether I am painting, drawing or taking photographs. I enjoy the chance to show others what I see as beautiful in everyday objects and places. The way time flies when I'm drawing is still remarkable to me. The best reward is when someone is looking at something that I have created and makes a connection with it. When I see someone react, get excited about a color or a reflection or something that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, I get a tremendous feeling of satisfaction. That makes me feel like I have done my job and all the hard work was worth it."
