Life & Work with Carrie Kaplan of Valley village

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Kaplan.

Hi Carrie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Rogue child with chronic ARTism. Still.

Curiosity. That’s the ignition! Nothing happens without it. The key is following my excitement.

I didn’t plan a career in painting or think about gallery representation. I was just painting for myself and seeing where it went. I don’t think of myself as a painter. I’m just using paint as a tool to explore. I’m Columbus of the Canvas! .

The process is the point. The process is the destination. I start each canvas with curiosity, move into chaos, and if I stay with it long enough, clarity shows up, and a painting is birthed. Waiting for inspiration is overrated. It usually follows after I begin.

Discovery is what interests me. I don’t pre-plan when I paint. If I could see it beforehand, I’d be bored. The thrill is in the unknown. Images show up, usually feeling a little wrong at first. That’s the moment I’m after.

Dance was my first love. At some point, canvas and paint took over and became the choreography. I’m drawn to movement and response before anything locks in on the canvas.

You know what else excites me? Comedy.

Living in Los Angeles allows me to spend time at legendary places like the Comedy Store and the Hollywood Improv watching comedians work ideas out live. They test, adjust, read the room, and stay present while something is still forming. It’s electric! That feels very familiar to how I work.

When a piece feels awkward or a little peculiar, that’s usually a good sign.
So I keep going down that road to see what happens next.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Who has had a smooth road and created a life that’s truly their own?

Not me. But it’s been my road. Challenges lead to growth and expansion. They strengthen that ol’ sexy creative muscle. That’s how I figured out, and am still figuring out, what’s meant for me and what I choose to do.

My work has never fit neatly into a specific gallery landscape, and I’ve learned not to require that it does. For me, finishing the work is the success. What happens after that isn’t the point and isn’t in my control.

I stopped forcing things. Allowing is where it’s at.

Letting go of insistence and expectations taught me to trust the process. When my focus stays on the work itself rather than where it’s supposed to lead, opportunities tend to show up on their own. Often in ways I couldn’t have planned.

Every painting presents a challenge, and each one teaches me something. That’s where the growth happens, and it’s a very satisfying feeling.

No one else can show you how to create your own path. You have to figure out your own way.

But don’t listen to me. Listen to Yourself.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I don’t spend much time thinking about what sets me apart. I focus on being true to my own process. If I do that, the work will be uniquely mine. I stay in my own lane.

I’m proud of not giving up or giving in to “the shoulds”. I’ve resisted shaping my art to fit trends or expectations. That consistency matters to me.

I’ve also learned to tame doubt. That was a big one. Only life experience and taking action show you what you can do.

What matters most to you?
It’s all about fun.

If it’s not fun, the magic doesn’t bother showing up. Staying playful, flexible, and open keeps things alive on the canvas. It’s also a pretty good way to move through the day.

I try not to get sucked into what I call Status Woe. Be delusional, but not insistent. That balance has taken me farther than any plan. It’s usually where sorcery finds its way in.

Paint is a tool for exploration. I want to paint the invisible. I don’t fix things to make them prettier or more acceptable. The moment I start forcing it, whatever was alive flatlines.

Movement and connection matters. Running, walking, being in nature. That’s when I like to give myself a little lobotomy and let the part that Knows what it’s doing take over. When my intention is clear and my attention is present, things start to reorganize on their own. I’m less interested in directing the painting than in noticing what changes when awareness shifts. I’ll notice something on a run and later it creeps into the canvas. Fun fact: I’m on a walk as I’m writing this.

Everything is connected. The paintings usually show me that before I can explain it. I create best when I’m tuned in, which usually means tuning everything else out. The rest is noise. And I’ve gotten good at putting in invisible earplugs.

Pricing:

• Price upon request

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carriekaplan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisiscarriekaplan?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisiscarriekaplan?mibextid=LQQJ4d