Radell creates abstract art “in bloom”

For Caroline Radell, Navasota’s newest resident artist, flowers are central to her work. Over the next few months, visitors will have the opportunity to see how she blends her passion for abstract art and these “symbols of beauty, growth and new life.”

Radell will be in Navasota through February thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley (ACBV) and the City of Navasota’s Artist in Residence in Program. The AIR program is in its sixth year of providing artists a place to create and sell their work and is funded by hotel/motel occupancy tax.

Pursuing a passion

Miami born and raised, Radell’s interest in art was piqued at age 11 when she took some art classes and it was that exposure that prompted her to apply to a magnet art middle school.

Radell said, “Basically, a middle school where instead of having elective classes, we take art classes and that’s where I realized I wanted to pursue this and get better.”

In December 2018, she graduated from George Washington University in St. Louis with a double major in Art and English Literature and a minor in Art History.

Radell said, “This being an artist, it’s a path that’s not very stable, very uncertain. I am going to try to get as many opportunities as I can, but I have a strong undergraduate education to fall back on. I’m just going to keep trying.”

Radell is cheered on in her endeavor by her parents whom she calls her “biggest supporters.”

She added, “They love what I do. They encourage me every single day.”

The Grove

Back home, Radell’s work is on display at the Grove Gallery & Interiors. For more than 30 years, The Grove in Miami’s Coconut Grove community has promoted local artists “in a marriage of art and fashion.”

Radell said, “I had gotten an insider tip that they were looking to expand into more abstract, younger generations. I sent them a picture of my work and set a meeting.”

She continued, “It’s really exciting and very encouraging too at this stage because it’s hard to just dive in and say, ‘I want to be an artist’ without it being sort of like a dream.”

Radell, who works in both acrylic and oil, said, “I have three main things I like to paint pictures of – landscapes, nature, and things I’ve experienced is one, and then the outline of the human form, and then abstraction. What that means can look different in every painting.”

She continued, “What I like to do is integrate figures into their environment. It’s painted in outline over the top of the environment, so the viewer sees that space as part of the person. It’s all about blurring the lines between reality and my perception of it.”

The Miami art scene

With its Cuban and South American influence, Radell said, “The Miami art scene is very vibrant. There’s a lot of energy. A lot of it is landscape but a lot is street-art oriented and very eclectic too. Vibrant colors everywhere and a vibrant culture as well.”

She continued, “I tend to work very, very bright. In my older work which isn’t here (in Navasota), it’s very, very hyper saturated. I work with a lot of green and pink.”

In contrast, Radell said, “St. Louis is a little more conservative. Here, it’s very landscape oriented, definitely more western.”

A multifaceted artist

What bearing does Radell’s extensive education have on her artwork?

She said, “I think art history has a connection to work that’s being made, no matter what. You can’t really be a contemporary artist without, even if it’s subconsciously calling to you, art that’s been made before you. I think those things are inherently linked.”

Her creative talents aren’t limited to visual arts. Radell has written some fiction, a few short stories and a screen play.

She said, “Truthfully, I haven’t done as much with it as I’d like but it was my second major in college. It’s more of a hobby. I published one story at school but it’s really hard to do both, to tell the truth. This is the time for me to focus on my art.”

Path to art success?

For someone considering art as a career path, Radell offers this advice.

She said, “You have to be self-motivated. If you can’t wake yourself up, get to the studio and make art for eight hours a day like you would at any other job, then you’re not going to succeed. Or you could succeed, but it would be a different path.”

She continued, “No one’s watching you. You’re not going to have a boss. You not only have to bring yourself to be making work when nothing is pushing you, but you also have to have the wherewithal to push yourself to think outside the box. Push yourself to experiment and try new things without people telling you that you have to do a show. The other thing I’d say is be able to market yourself.”

Navigating the residency

Just having arrived June 21, Radell is looking forward to upcoming activities and opportunities through the ACBV to display her art, hone her media and marketing skills and network within the Brazos Valley arts community.

As for her time in Navasota, Radell said, “I hope to grow and synthesize the things I’m thinking about in my larger scale more figurative work. I also hope to incorporate more local influence, but in particular, gardens and flowers hold an interest for me. I hope to see exactly where that fits into my practice and make work that engages the community a little more, and also to grow personally as an artist.”

August open house

The Navasota Artists in Residence will host an Open House, Saturday, Aug. 3, from 2-4 p.m. at the Horlock House Art Gallery and History Museum, 1215 E. Washington in Navasota. The gallery is open to the public Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and admission is free.