Carmen Drake

{"Id":8641,"Name":"Carmen Drake","Biography":"\u003Cp\u003EPainter Carmen Drake (1964) was born in Lincoln, Maine and grew up in Meriden, Connecticut.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince childhood, she has had a passion for drawing and painting, winning numerous awards as a young artist.\u0026nbsp; In 1984 she attended the Paire College of Arts until she moved to North Carolina in 1986.\u0026nbsp; With a child on the way, she put her focus on family and filled any extra moments with creating decorative pieces and custom work for a boutique shop, Rosemary Etc. of Pinehurst, NC. In 2003 she decided to combine her love of art and antiques and opened C.R. Drake Mercantile, a shop specializing in primitive antiques and reproduction furniture, where she sold her painted pieces.\u0026nbsp; In 2008 she received the Special Operations Fund Scholarship making it possible for her to attend the Academy of Classical Design and study with D. Jeffrey Mims. After attending the school for nine months she became a student teacher, continuing her education at the atelier for nearly three years before studying under the direction of Paul S. Brown. During the summer of 2012, Carmen studied at the Grand Central Academy in New York City.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECarmen resides on a small farm in Carthage,\u0026nbsp;North Carolina finding inspiration for her paintings by surrounding herself with antiques, her flower gardens, farm animals and nature. She operates Oak Hollow Studios out of the renovated 1901 original homestead to the property. Not only does the studio serve her for creating her paintings, she also offers lessons and hosts nationally known artists such as Robert Liberace, Colleen Barry, Katie Whipple, Michael Klein and Amaya Gurpide for workshops.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECarmen is represented by Collins Galleries, Principle Gallery-Charleston and has exhibited her work at Principle Gallery Alexandria, VA, Ann Long Fine Art in Charleston, SC, Arcadia Contemporary Gallery in Pasadena, CA\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","BiographicalImageUrl":"/Artist/864/8641/Images\\a6b7ff02-c21d-4cbd-904f-3f214b66cb36.jpg","StartYear":1964,"EndYear":null,"Awards":"\u003Cp\u003EPlein Air Magazine May 2023-Best Floral, Plein Air Magazine April 2023-2nd Place, Plein Air Magazine September 2023-2nd Place, Plein Air Magazine August 2023-Best Portrait/Figure, American Women Artists 2023 Presidents Award, Gallery Showcase Award with AWA\u0027s Lifting the Sky Online Show, NOAPS First Place 4th Annual Best of America, Distingquished Achievement Award Still Life with AWA Making Their Mark Booth Museum, Second Place 2020 Bold Brush Competition, 2020 Excellence Award NOAPS, Oil Painters of America Honorable Mention Award 2020 Fall Online Showcase, 2020 IGOR Spring Salon Second Place Award, Portrait Society of America 15th Annual Members Only Competition Award Finalist, 9th Annual PleinAir Salon Best Floral Award,\u003C/p\u003E","HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":false,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":false,"TotalArtworks":25}