Caryl Hoobler - Outstanding Mixed Media Artist

Mixed media -- a rainbow of color, a world of textures, a plethora of materials. All of these things are true of mixed media art, but you could also describe mixed media art as art where the usual rules are suspended and happenstance is a welcome partner. In some media, a mistake can mean a disaster or at minimum require additional time and effect applied to correction before the artist can move on. In mixed media, "accidents" are part of the game. Something unexpected happens that alters whatever plan the artist may have started with, but rather than being seen as having a negative impact on the work, it's likely to be seen as an improvement. The element of the unexpected -- whether the fortuitous accident, the unusual combination of materials, use of found objects most would consider trash, or a startling perspective on life as we know it -- is, for this writer, one of the greatest pleasures of mixed media art. The unexpected pulls us out of our usual, customary, safe, world view and opens our eyes and minds.

The work of one of my favorite mixed media artist, Caryl Hoobler, exemplifies what is best in mixed media art. Whether she is creating ATCs, assemblage pieces, or altered books, Caryl is in tune with her muse. Throughout, you will see samples of Carol's work.

Married, mother to two daughters, grandmother to two grandchildren Caryl not only cares for her family but has worked full-time for 17 years for the Housing Authority. Those she encounters during her workday probably have little idea that the competent businesswoman is also a well known artist whose work brings pleasure to many.

Caryl has her own room devoted to art in the lovely Victorian home she shares with her husband and a cat named Kramer. Totally self-taught, Caryl began her artistic adventures by drawing. Her talent is such that she has been commissioned to do portraits. However, she found the precision, the exactitude necessary to create likenesses that please too confining. She ventured into mixed media art where she found the freedom her muse craves. It was a fortuitous step.

When asked what inspires her, Caryl mentions music and color. She loves to listen to music in her art room while she creates. And she confided that she carries a small notebook with her everywhere to make note of color combinations and patterns that catch her eye. I asked Caryl how she would describe her style and she was at a loss. Some might call it eclectic, as she draws on a wide variety of styles or, as she put it, uses elements of anything that she likes. Caryl puts a lot of herself into her work and not only draws on her life experiences in making her art, but uses her art to allow "the soul to express itself." Caryl gave two touching examples of how this works for her. She was working on a spread for an altered book when her grandmother passed away. That spread ended up as a sort of tribute to her grandmother. In the second example, Caryl was again trying to work on a spread for an altered book. This was during the time when her husband was in the hospital following the accident. He'd received a serious head injury during the accident and was in critical condition. Sitting by his side, it was nearly impossible to think about art. Yet, Caryl recalls that her eye was drawn to the shaved and stapled area of his head. She found herself amazed at the textures visible there and that led her to create using the letter "T" for textures and textbooks. A great example, I think, of how life experience influenced art and how art provided comfort at a difficult time. I appreciate her sharing this with us and I thought you would like to see the pages she produced during such a stressful time:

(above: pages Textbooks & textures pages from altered book)


Caryl's works speak to viewers on many levels as evidenced by the list of publications in which samples have appeared:
Artitude Zine, Somerset Studios, Stampington's Transparent Art, Take Ten, Stampers Sampler, Stamper's Sampler Catch Up Issue, Simply Sentiments, and Belle Armoire.
While this listing is impressive, nothing compares to viewing Caryl's art for yourself. Please visit her blog: http://carylsrealm.blogspot.com/ for her recent work. See also Caryl's Flickr album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38189710@N00/

And you can read about Caryl as ArtChix studios featured artist here:
http://artchixstudio.com/gallery/featured/featured_CarylHoobler.htm

Can you take classes with Caryl? Not at this time but teaching is an idea Caryl entertains for the future. Would you like to purchase some of C's work? She has an etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=49353 where she normally has pieces for sale. However, her husband was seriously injured in an accident this past summer; she let the shop go empty will attending to his care. Thankfully, Caryl's husband is on the mend and that means that she'll have more opportunity to create works to fill the etsy store. So hold onto that address.

Below are some samples of Carol's art:

This altered kitchen drawer shrine won first prize in Art Chix Studios' bottle shrine contest.




Left: one of her whimsical drawings.



Right: a beautiful ATC

Above left: an optical lens charm. Above right: a formica chip keychain.

Although a little hard to see here, the photo below is of her Gypsy Accordian book which was published.

Above left: one of a number of published ATCs. Above right: a beautiful Valentine collage.

Here's one of my favorite pieces. For an Art Chix Studios contest with a Paris theme, Caryl altered a wooden box which houses wonderful Paris souveniers - made by Caryl, of course! This easily won first place. Don't you love it?

And here is a copy of a page in Stampimgton's book, Transparent Art showing Caryl's art doll shrine:


While we are on the subject of shrines, I couldn't resist adding photos of one of her shrines, opened & closed:

I hope this has given you some idea of the quality and variety of Caryl's work.

Meanwhile, Caryl has some advice to all who would like to explore their creative abilities. She suggests you browse blogs and magazine to see what you are drawn to, then "[J]ust dive in! See something you like on a blog or in a magazine? Go for it!" She reminds us that one of the things she loves about mixed media is especially helpful to beginning artists: "It allows you a freedom to use any paint, image, texture, found element or ephemera that lands in you art space."
So, what are you waiting for? Go visit Caryl's blog, get inspired, gather whatever materials you have available, and see what you can come up with. Enjoy!