More ancient PB history today. It's "Career Wednesday" again I was listening to Tina Brown talk of her
"second acts, third acts, fourth acts," etc. on Charlie Rose and I was reminded of some past acts.
I used to use an airbrush. My illustrations were influenced by Japanese woodblocks for compositions and coloring.
After a serious injury (shot pointblank by a mugger) landed me in the hospital, I got interested in medical art. Always lemons 🍋 into lemonade on my menu. It was the pharmaceutical advertising art you see in medical journals.
I combined the TRON look with old master drawings.
Still using the airbrush (no PhotoShop in 1982) I came up with a transparent, futuristic style perfectly suited to medical art.
My first illlustration flyer brought in a ton of work.
Advil ads, Prozac ads, high-tech anything ads became my caviar and champagne.Medical advertising paid nicely.
I did covers for Time, Newsweek, Business Week, Omni etc. Are you asking WHO IS THIS PERSON? I've no idea and if I had to pickup an airbrush now I'd be a goner. I did this for almost 10 years. Hillary Clinton came along with her cutbacks on pharmaceutical wastage-among them, ads that ended up in the circular file i.e. the wastepaper basket, i.e. what I was producing. And my lucrative medical illustration business went down the drain. Then I volunteered for the James Beard House. And a new career evolved that still kept me in champagne and caviar. Then I went on to wine art, but that's another story.
Carol..first of all I am sadddened that you were shot..I had to reread that.
ReplyDeleteHow aboslutely nothing short of miraculous that you are so fit..energetic..and optimistic about everything.
I hope you did not suffer for a long time with the recpercussions of such an assault:(
Then..just how talented are you? Such a stretch from what you do now..and that word everyone uses too much? Awesome? Well that work is awesome..in French..Génial? It is !!Génial..et awesome.
Applause.Do you remember the lines in a certain article?It hit me...maybe you too.
I was exceedingly lucky.
DeleteI lived around the corner from St.Vincent's at the time.
Several neighbors called the police. I was on the operating table in minutes.
After I locked my valuables inside my appartment of course.
Then I sketched my mugger when the police came into the recovery room...ahem 🎨
I second EVERYTHING that La Table de Nana sais...so much better than myself and WHAT THE WHAT-you sketched the assailant....WOW
DeleteI hope they caught the assailant😢
DeletePS..cakes and cookies are airbrushed now too:) Can you imagine the ones you could do? MACARONS:)♥
ReplyDeleteHa! I just ate an airbrushed macaron!
DeleteFlavor mangue..miam
I am amazed!
ReplyDeleteGreat life story!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour last illustration
looks like my joint pain!!!
Love your history! Lo
Soooo interesting. You have had many lives
ReplyDeleteWow! You are indeed awesome and so is your art. You sketched the attacker while in the recovery room? I hope that did not happen in Paris. What a story and probably one you do not share often. Wow!
ReplyDeleteJust Wow! Sorry you had to go through that difficult time. I am so impressed with your transitions and being open to change.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be one of the most interesting and talented jack of all trades involving art I know! So high tech on one end and soft and sweet on the other.
ReplyDeleteHahaha interesting perspective Cheryl T!
DeleteFascinating. I'd seen your work long before I knew I'd seen it. Isn't that the way with artists who do illustrations for publications? Rarely a credit or buried if it is. I had no idea about the attack -- that's so frightening and bravo. That would flatten a lot of people. (Permanently) and I'm grateful you came back to bring the world art and color and Paris in the way you do. It's fun learning your story. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteYou are an amazing woman on so many levels. I bow to you.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting so see your past talents, thanks for sharing. I can't believe you got shot, how horrible. Thank goodness you survived and recovered. You're a talented lady for sure.
ReplyDeleteThank you Riki,
DeleteI was exceeding lucky to have only a punctured lung and no residual medical issues afterward.
It may sound weird but there are advantages to being shot at point-blank - a much smaller hole than from a distance, so much less damage to the body.
Carol ...... I am rendered speechless...YOU ARE INCREDIBLE- does your talent ...vision innovation know no end....I am in awe cannot wait until the next installment! Did the incident happen in nyc-I am so glad you are here and cannot imagine the post traumatic stuff that goes along with that-your work is amazing because you are amazing-thank you so much for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteYes it was in my hallway on the 6th floor of my apartment building in NYC in the west village.
DeleteAnd no I did not have PTS cos the guy was rather well-dressed and said nothing terribly threatening to me other than that I should open my door for him. I tried women's self-defense classes afterwards and could not bring myself to punch the bag much less anyone else. 😳
You need to write a book! Sounds like a best seller, especially with illustrations by you!
ReplyDeleteMaybe a graphic novel?
DeleteI have had adventures..
my husband just had sinus surgery and that illustration is a winner!
ReplyDeletePlease keep posting about your many career paths! So interesting......I'll bet the painted Chef's jackets are treasured keepsakes.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the next episode....
Carol, thank you so much for sharing your amazing life with us. I am so sorry you went through being shot & so glad you came through with no lingering problems. Your art career is amazing & I am glad you ended up where we now find you & get to benefit from your your enormous talent.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason your post ended up in spam. I don't check it that often, but so glad I did. Your past lives are very interesting. So glad you survived such a catastrophic ordeal. I love your new life and your resilience. I would probably be face down in my bed with the covers pulled over. :)
ReplyDeleteWonder woman for sure! Who knew and artist could have such a career. You did indeed turn lemons into lemonade, bravo!
ReplyDeleteThis post left me totally in awe! For a moment, everything I saw and read left me speechless. You are as artistic as you are brave! A punctured lung is a deadly serious thing.
ReplyDeleteEvery illustration here is "alucinante" as they say in my country. Brava!!!
Maria O. Russell
Wishing you continued success. It is an inspiration to many!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you for my Feb map��. So much detail & I love seeing your neighborhood-also the Berthillon menu & other goodies enclosed-your art always brightens my day.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate so much that you share your history with your latest post. The Tron phenomenon was revolutionary “back in the day” it was one of my favorite movies. Was your name in the credits? I remember that Advil ad...who knew it was you! It was also art that had never been done before and has not been done since.
You are amazing and a survivor of the multi-faceted type. Thank you for the interesting personal story.
ReplyDeleteIf I could ask a personal question. It’s ok to take a pass on this. You are the only person I know who has survived a gun attack. There is much discussion here in the states now as you might know about guns. I’m ok with hunting rifles but I question people who say they need/own/carry guns for personal protection and that doing so makes me safer. With your experience, what do you think? Do you carry a gun?
Absolutely not! Another good reason to live in France. No one else does here.
DeleteIn the '80s in the US they didn't much either. New York was a different place back then with much drug-related crime before police chief Bill Bratten came in.
You are a class act no matter what number!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing such a wonderful, inspiring story.
Best regards from snowy Aspen, Colorado!
Carol, I am so impressed by this post and your talent that I am beyond amazement!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you are getting to live your dream in Paris now!
Who coulda known?! I’m glad you continue to reinvent yourself.
ReplyDeleteI am very impressed that you have managed to carve out such an interesting and successful career. I would love to learn more about that in your future novel!!
ReplyDeleteOMG - WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN?? I loved the walk down memory lane and the artwork done (airbrush) - fantastic! (I feel a little bit like that myself - it is so long since I picked up a paintbrush...I think I wouldn't know what to do with it!) What a career you have (and had)!
ReplyDeleteCarol - it may be time to write your memoirs!
OMG! Shot! And then you sketched your mugger? Eternal kudos!
ReplyDeleteYeah don't mess around with artistes!!
DeleteThanks for all the great information!
ReplyDeletehttps://prochickenfood.blogspot.com/
C'est impressionnant, Carol ! Impressionnant ce que tu as subi, impressionnant comment tu as réagi ! Je suis admirative de ta force et ta créativité.
ReplyDeleteWhat a life. Modesty is your middle name? I've followed you for a long while without ever imagining you were Super Woman. LOL. Thanks for letting us get to know you better. Again, what a life.
ReplyDeleteBe well.