In her youth, Carole Seibel said it was decided for her that she would study journalism and home economics. It wasnt until her retirement that she was able to pursue her life-long dream of being an artist.
Ive always wanted to be an artist, said Seibel, now 70. After college, comes marriage and then a family. And now I can be what Ive always wanted to be.
Originally from Denver, Seibel is former owner of The Toadstool, a jewelry and gift store in Georgetown, Colo. She now resides in Cortez, where she has lived for five years.
Featured at this months Juried Art Show at the Cortez Cultural Center, Seibel specializes in pastels, oil pastels and colored pencil.
From camels on the TV screen, pelicans from a trip to France or a sheep from a lunch trip to Bluff, Utah, Seibel captures scenes from around the world.
When doing portraits, Seibel always uses colored pencil for the eyes.
When youre working with colored pencil, you have to have a really good point, she said, holding up a blue pencil sharpened to a fine point. You cannot get this kind of detail with any kind of a brush.
Seibel works with her dog at her home studio, a renovated storage shed.
I bring him out here with me, turn on classical music and I cant be in a better place, she said.
She also does artwork with her friends Tuesdays at the Montezuma County Senior Center.
We just have become such good friends and we have so much fun, she said. Its a delight to be part of.
An illustration of pelicans is one of Seibels works featured this month at the Cortez Cultural Center. The illustration was done from a photograph of the birds she took on a trip to France.
I laid down the camera on the rock wall, and the pelican came after it, she said. I thought maybe he was going to take my picture.
Seibels work is available online at southwestartistsleague.com/category/carol-s or by calling her at 564-1218.
Seibel encourages others to follow their dreams.
Anybody that has second thoughts about if they are good enough, they really ought to give it a shot, she said. Its amazing when you get a little bit of that enthusiasm going.
Reach Reid Wright at reidw@cortezjournal.com.