Carol Santora

"Carol Santora is attracted to the pure spirit of animals… no other subject has ever called to her in the same way that animals do,"     ...writes Bridget Burns of Seacoast Media Group.

As a semi-abstract, Expressionist painter, Carol Santora portrays her impressions, emotions and responses to horses, presenting her subjects through her own eyes.  Breaking away from reality, she may distort color, filter out superfluous details, simplify, and portray horses in their clear essence – their spirits and souls, their energy, movement and physical presence.

Over the close to 40 years Santora has been painting, her work - medium and style - has changed remarkably and continues to evolve with each painting. Her desire is never to be stuck painting only one way or only one subject matter. To her, the challenge of new processes to express herself is what is exciting. Currently she works in acrylic/mixed media and pastel, and her styles are equally diverse.

Santora's work has been shown in museums and galleries across the US and in France, and is part of a traveling museum show 'Environmental Impact' curated by David J Wagner, LLC. Several of her cow paintings have been selected over the years to represent the Texas Dispute Resolution System's Office of Dispute Resolution in Lubbock, TX. One of her most important commissions was to create 2 mural-size equestrian paintings for the renovation of the historic Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, Santa Fe, CA.  Her work can be found in several corporate and numerous private collections around the world.  

Awarded associate status in the Society of Animal Artists (SAA) 2016, and signature status in the Pastel Society of America, (PSA), 2009, Santora is currently represented by The Wright Gallery, Cape Porpoise, ME, Full Fathom Five Gallery, Eastport, ME, and Wild Holly Gallery, Carefree, AZ.  She maintains a working studio and gallery at her Lyman, ME home where she lives with her husband David, their 3 quarter horse mares and 3 adopted canine rescues.