Carol Black-Addyman

Originally from Southern California, Carol moved to Auburn with her husband in 2010. In 2021, after many years of practicing a variety of artistic pursuits – from

acrylic still life and painted murals to chinoiserie and reverse painting on glass –

Carol decided to focus solely on linocut printmaking. Taking her inspiration

mainly from the local countryside, she now produces original linocuts from her

home studio. Her work is on display at Persimmon Art Gallery in Auburn. In

addition to making art, she and her husband, artist Simon Addyman, enjoy the

company of their cat,Tiger, and look after a small flock of backyard hens.

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Her first response to life was always expressed as a need to make art.

As a child, she filled sketchbooks with drawings of the things she loved, primarily

birds and animals. Later, she was drawn to geometric pattern and design, to

the intricacy of repeated line and form. Today, printmaking allows her to

combine her lifelong love of the natural world with a deep fascination for

pattern, form, and line. From her very first linocut, she was captivated by the

magical alchemy of the ordinary substances of linoleum, ink, and paper.

Her early discipline of extensive drawing has given her a foundation as a

printmaker, as the initial design is essential in relief printmaking. The rural

neighborhood surrounding her home in Auburn, California, is rich with

subjects for prints: owl feathers, daffodils, and oak leaves, an endless

supply of inspiration. It is her hope that viewers of her work will share her

sense of wonder at the infinite variety of inspired design that surrounds us.