Rising Stars: Meet Louis Carr of Cary

Today we’d like to introduce you to Louis Carr

Hi Louis , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in a small town in Mississippi, and like most children, I loved to draw. There was a well-known portrait artist named Marshall Bouldin in my town, who my family was close friends with, and from a young age I used to go to his studio and watch him paint. Thanks to this opportunity and the support of my family, I decided at the age of nine to become a portrait painter. In my teens I began selling portrait commissions and won some distinguished regional awards that helped to propel me forward. I briefly considered pursuing medical school, but I received a highly distinguished scholarship to complete a fine arts degree at the University of Mississippi. By the age of 20, I was a full-time professional portrait artist with a strong client network. My career continued with great success, but I felt that my technical abilities as a painter began to plateau after a few years and in 2013 I decided to pursue further education at the Grand Central Atelier in NYC under the instruction of renowned artists Jacob Collins and Joshua LaRock. In 2017, I partnered with Joshua and fellow artist Michael Klein and relocated to Raleigh where we opened East Oaks Studio, a fine art and production studio, with the goal of offering high quality online art instruction and in-person mentorship. This project has continued to flourish, along with my career in portraiture.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My career as a portrait artist has not always been a smooth road, but certainly a rewarding one! I would say the biggest challenge is creating a business that nurtures the reason I pursued this path in the first place, that being the love of painting. I am always trying to find ways to cultivate my love for painting; finding the balance between business and passion is an ongoing exercise.
As for challenges with opening East Oaks Studio, the biggest lesson has been learning how to pivot when necessary. The mission and vision for this project has remained constant: nurturing great artists and great art and restoring hope through beauty. However, as with any entrepreneurial endeavor, I have needed to be flexible and adapt to changes within the team, changes in technology, and constantly be open to evolving, while keeping the mission at the heart of all I do.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a figurative painter, working in a classical realist style, and I specialize in portraiture and poetic narrative figure paintings. What sets me apart, and is a quality I am particularly proud of, is my ability to nurture community and my heart as a teacher. Not only do I enjoy finding emotional qualities in my own work, but I am able to communicate these qualities and guide the next generation of artists in the development of their own styles.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I believe any entrepreneur makes decisions that involve risks, and being an artist certainly has great risks. We live in a world with the cliche of the “starving artist”, where a career in art is viewed as unstable or irresponsible. And while it does require taking risks, these risks can be overcome through a high level of dedication and understanding oneself. Understanding your limitations and capabilities, and working with this self-knowledge and taking full responsibility for your choices. It also requires living below your financial means, so that in times when there is less work, you can carry over until the next client comes along. It is the balance of realizing the cost versus the reward. And remembering that fortune favors the bold!
There is also the emotional risk of investing so much into building the next generation of artists, with the hopes that they will carry on the torch of creating beautiful, worthwhile art. This commitment to others is not always reciprocated, but there is always great reward in sharing your passion and gifts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lcarr.faso.com/ and https://www.eastoaksstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louiscarrfineart/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/eastoaksstudio