My Mother the Artist

My mother Carolyn Shores Wright turned 88 this past December, so time for a blog post. 

Actually, she has come up before in this space. I've written about her memory of seeing George Washington Carver speak in Camp Hill when she was a child. Another post discussed her modelling days and appearance on the front page of the Avondale Sun in 1949. That one also mentions the time she slept in Harper Lee's bed in Monroeville. I've also written about a football game my parents attended at Auburn soon after their 1950 wedding.

Now its time to discuss her painting career, which has lasted for more than four decades. Here's what we've put on the web page for her art business, CShoresInc:

Carolyn Shores Wright is an artist currently living in Huntsville, Alabama. When Carolyn had two teenage sons, she began her art career. Her early works were done in oils and acrylics, but for a vacation trip her husband gave her a set of watercolor paints. She soon realized she had found her medium.

The artist has developed a style which is sensitive, delicate and uniquely her own. Her whimsical paintings, which have long been favorites of the public, express her own personality with that of the subject. Her more realistic paintings show highly developed textures and patterns.

Her work has been licensed for such products as collector plates, greeting cards, porcelain mugs, stationary products, books, fabrics, wallpaper, dining products, window decorations, t-shirts, tabletop figurines and many other items. Licensing partners include: AMIA,  Art Brands, Bradford Exchange, Burton & Burton, Cherison, Creative Converting, Crown Point Graphics, Current, Danbury Mint, Dimensions, Harvest House Publishers, JQ Greetings, Leanin’ Tree, Marian Heath, Raz Imports, Toland Home & Garden,  etc.

Her work has also been used for promotional greeting cards by Audubon Society, the Christian Children’s Fund, Colorful Images, Military Officers Association of America, National Geographic, Retired Officers Association, Smithsonian, and Yankee Magazine.

CShoresInc can also be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Wanelo and Twitter: @CShoresInc.  Original watercolor paintings and prints are available for sale in my shops at ArtFire and Etsy.

Original art, prints and licensed items are available at Encore Resales in Pelham, Alabama, USA.

Since that description was written, we've added mom's art at Fine Art America. There you can find prints of various sizes, as well her art on products ranging from coffee mugs and iPhone cases to pillows and beach towels.  

During the 1980's and 1990's mom often spent weekends throughout the year at art shows, many at large malls in Greenville, South Carolina, Atlanta, Birmingham and Huntsville. She also had to devote large amounts of time related to the licensing of her work for various products. We would visit on a weekend, and mom would spend much of the time signing prints that had to be returned quickly to the licensing company. 

I remember her telling the story of the time a big delivery truck parked at the end of her street to deliver a 1000 prints she would have to sign. Her current licensing company is Artworks!. Over the years we have found her work on prints and other products around Birmingham in such places as J.C. Penny's and during travels to Disney World, a glass shop in Manitou Springs, Colorado, on greeting cards in Cracker Barrels, etc. 

The images below are a small sample of mom's work. She has painted hundreds and hundreds of mostly watercolors. She started an inventory once upon a time but soon gave up; she's very prolific. And still painting! Go mom!

One of her most popular series has been "Bird Life" featuring birds in humorous human situations. Here's "Yard Work."

This one is "Hot Tub". Many more in this series can be found on Pinterest here. 

She has also painted other humorous animals, such as "Bunny Band."

Small songbirds have always been a favorite subject, although she's done some owls as well. 

People, often based on memories of real people from her childhood, are another favorite subject.

She's done a number of bird houses, with and without birds! Franklin Mint did a series of plates from some of them.

Fruits or vegetables, anyone?

Herbs or shells, anyone?

She has painted a wide variety of still lifes. 

Several books published in the 1980's and 1990's by Harvest House featured mom's art on the covers and inside. 

Humorous and serious paintings with Christmas imagery have been another subject of hers. 

Mom has painted a series of different original china patterns, each with a musical name. This one features the cream and sugar bowl from "Impromptu".

"Magnolia Memory" was used on a greeting card from Leanin' Tree. The company still has  some of her greeting cards in print, but not this one unfortunately.

A favorite bird subject has been hummingbirds; these two are "Humming Along I" and "Humming Along II."

"Blue Bouquet II"

Flowers have been a favorite subject over the years. 

"Pansy Morning"

"Dear Diary"

Mom has painted a number of mostly humorous pieces featuring cherubs.

"Future Farmer"

She's also painted a cherub alphabet and several other alphabets as well. 

She's done several paintings based on antique quilt patterns.

Landscapes have been a popular subject, too.

And then there are the products featured her licensed art work, several hundred of them over the years. Miniature plaques, stationary and cross stitch patterns are only three of many. 

Here's the CShoreInc booth at Encore Resales on US 31 in Pelham. We feature original art, prints and other licensed items by mom, jewelry by Dianne Vargo Wright and other items.