Meet Cara Calvert-Thomas | Artist & Creativity Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cara Calvert-Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cara, what do you want your legacy to be?
I hope my legacy is a world full of people who found joy through art, whether it’s from participating in acts of visual expression and the creative process without inhibition, or even simply from the joy experienced when looking at an image I’ve created for them. As a visual thinker myself, so much of my memory is linked to imagery, so being able to look at a painting of a beloved pet, a familiar landscape, or a piece of jewelry made from a shell found on vacation, then connecting it to that time, and place can be so special. I hope that people remember feeling valued, inspired and at peace when they remember their time spent with me or my art.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve loved art and created art for as long as I can remember. There is even a family story regarding confiscated lipstick from when I was about four years old. Apparently, I thought the color was so nice that I should apply it to my pillowcases, my jacket and the walls. My mom stowed it on a very tall shelf in a kitchen cabinet and told me I could have it back when I was 21, and I reminded her of it every time that cabinet was open. Now that I think about it, that color is very similar to quinacradone crimson, which is still among my five or six most commonly used paint hues, so I guess I wasn’t too emotionally scarred from the consequences…

Fast forward through years of random art lessons here and there, and a steady supply of art supplies, I went through phases as a kid where I wanted to be an artist, or maybe a teacher, or maybe an art teacher, but as I got older and became more aware of finances, those eventually were replaced by a dream of being an architect. I started college studying architecture, but just a little more than a year in, I was having major health issues and a major change of heart… Which led to changing my major as well. I scanned the college catalog and came across visual art education, and realized that’s what I’d always wanted to do.

After university, I taught elementary art for 10 years. Working with kids and being involved in community arts projects was extremely fulfilling. I was passionate about my trade, and the creativity and joy of the children learning to visually express themselves pushed me to continue creating on my own. However, over time, the politics and social structures of a small town school district as an outsider began to take its toll on me, and my husband and I sought respite in a more metropolitan life.

We moved to Dallas, TX in 2011, where I decided to take a break from the classroom, but soon found myself teaching painting again. This time though, it was in the then up-and-coming paint-and-sip studio, Pinot’s Palette, where everyone was there by choice, happy to be there, and looked at me as some sort of painting guru because I was able to guide them step by step to create their own masterpieces in two or three hours. It was a dream job I never knew existed until then. I worked directly with other professional artists, I worked in my most productive hours as a natural night owl, I painted every day for work while also having time to paint for myself, and I developed a fantastic network of supporters.

During my time in Dallas, I also participated in an artist residency in the corporate office of a large marketing company, participated in regular live painting events, and began my painting series, Macrobiome. These works featured brightly colored, scaled-up images based on electron micrographs of cells, pathogens, nerves, chromosomes, tissue samples and medicinal plants, and were inspired by life with Crohn’s disease. I had been diagnosed as a teenager and had been through endless ups and downs over the years. There is no medically recognized cure for Crohn’s, but there is a lot of research pointing at numerous factors that lead to a “perfect storm” of autoimmune responses, triggering the disease. What I noticed while studying these cellular level processes was how visually striking these often deadly cells and organisms actually are. It was a very cathartic “know thy enemy” process, and my use of bold, vivid colors turned pathogens into objects of beauty.

Despite all of my other Dallas-based art-ventures, the paint-and-sip road eventually took me to the Pinot’s Palette Franchise headquarters in Houston, where I oversaw the company’s painting library and served as their Artist Training Director, traveling around the country assisting new franchisees in opening studios, and training artists how to teach “fun” art. Being at a desk 9-5 in an office full of non-artists part of the time had its challenges, but being out in the field, meeting other creatives around the country was such an incredible gift. Some of the most talented and inspiring artists I’ve ever met and some of my best friends to this day are people I connected with through my work in the paint-and-sip industry.

In 2017, we moved to SoCal and after an unexpected turn of events, I went back to teaching in the studio on a regular basis, mainly at Pinot’s Palette in Tustin, but also occasionally in Brea, Aliso Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita. Again, being in the studio allowed me to connect with more artists and focus daily on my craft. I was able to gain guidance from my long-time Californian artist friends and continued building a body of new work.

2018 and 2019 brought me numerous opportunities for commissions, I painted to raise funds for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, I regularly attended workshops and live drawing sessions with other local artists, I was granted an artist residency with the National Park Service at Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, NE, and I presented at my first large art show with Raw Artists in Downtown L.A. I finally felt like I was going to fully emerge as a full-time creative. But along came 2020…

The pandemic quickly shut down all of my community-based art and marketing events. It gave me more time at home with nothing to do but create, but unfortunately, my physical health started declining rather quickly and I wasn’t in the right headspace to be able to even pick up a pen or a brush. In late 2020, I got the news that stops a person in their tracks. I had been in for a routine colonoscopy (you get to start those well before your mid-40s when you have Crohn’s disease), and it turned out that a tissue sample that had been collected indicated I had grade 3 neuroendocrine cancer of the colon and rectum. Suddenly, it was pretty clear why I hadn’t felt well.

My doctors formulated an extensive treatment plan, starting with surgery: a total proctocolectomy that left me with a permanent illeostomy, and revealed in the pathology report that I also had adenocarcenoma, a more common form of colorectal cancer. Apparently, despite my underachievement in my art studio, I was overachieving in less appealing areas! The next step was 4 months of agressive chemotherapy, followed by 5 weeks of radiation. It was a lot, to say the least, but I survived!

The whole experience of looking death straight in the face changes a person’s perspective. Chemotherapy actually changes the brain as well, so I came out of treatment with a renewed outlook on life. I had a different idea of what is most important, but also what I didn’t want to be or be doing. I had a lot of thoughts to process, but I also had a lot of humorous realizations throughout that period, and from that my first coloring book transpired. It’s a satirical adult coloring book called White Jesus and Other Musings. and it features various pictures based on cheesy religious art I’ve come across, each with my often nonsensical (mis)interpretations of what’s happening in each image. It was truly a blast to put it together, and was a great way to dip my toe back into the art world.

As we’re nearing the end of 2022, I can finally say I feel like I’m getting somewhere, even if there have been strange and unexpected detours along the way. I have an online boutique with wearable art, I continue selling copies of White Jesus and Other Musings, I’ve been picking up painting commissions again and I’ve been successful in the holiday art market scene as a vendor — I even had a booth at a car show in October. I lost a dear artist friend this year as well, right as she was at her professional peak, but despite her physical absence, I think about her every day and remember different advice she gave me over the years, hoping I’m at least somewhat honoring her memory.

I think the biggest takeaways I’ve gotten over the year are (1) I love sharing art and the joy of art making with others, (2) while many of the most well-known artists have created their greatest works during low emotional points, I paint the most and the best when I’m happy and well, and (3) being unapologetically myself is the best way to weed out who and what are worth keeping in my life going forward. I like being happy and I love bringing happiness to others. What better way to do that, than through creativity?

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, I have a personal motto that one should live like a tourist, no matter how long you’ve been in a place, so as not to get too settled. I try to mix both things I know I love with new things my guests and I can experience together. I’m a nomad at heart, and love the fact that SoCal has so much to offer in a relatively small geographic area, so we wouldn’t be in one city, per se… Unless the guest is averse to the ocean, we have to go to the beach at some point, ideally on a warm, sunny day and late enough in the day to catch sunset. My favorite go-tos for beaches are Crystal Cove or any of the Laguna Beaches for walking, hiking and lounging with those gorgeous SoCal views, La Jolla Shores for swimming and lounging, and La Jolla Children’s Beach to see the seals and watch the sunset. If we’re in Laguna Beach at lunchtime, I take my out-of-towners to The Cliff Restaurant. It’s hard to beat fish tacos and cocktails overlooking the Pacific.
If guests fly into San Diego or we head that direction, I take them to the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge, Little Italy for food and shopping, and North Park for dinner and drinks. I love the San Diego Zoo, so if they’ve never been, I always suggest that. I still haven’t been to the Carlsbad Flower Fields, so if the season is such, we’d hit that up as well.
We’ll usually spend at least a little time exploring Orange County, even if it’s just on the way to or from the airport. If we’re in Newport Beach we stop at the Pop Pie Co, and if they’re so inclined, Sidecar Donuts… Unless we’re super hungry and want to drink, in which case, we hit up the Crack Shack. A little further inland. if the season is right, we’ll take our friends to Knott’s Berry Farm for the Boysenberry Festival. We definitely don’t want to miss the Frida Cinema in Downtown Santa Ana. A stop at the Wurst Haus for their loaded fries and a cider or beer will hit the spot.
If we’re in Long Beach, we’ll walk everywhere and we’ll stop at a few record stores as we eat and drink our way through town. Up in LA, it’s super cheesy, but if they’ve never been before, it’s fun to take people to Hollywood Boulevard to see the Walk of Fame. While we’re over there, we’ll venture a little further west to eat at El Coyote and wander through WeHo and a drive through Laurel Canyon. Griffith Park, the Hollywood sign and a show at either the Greek or the Hollywood Bowl will make any trip memorable.
Up in San Bernadino County, a must-stop is Ironbark Cider in Claremont for all-organic, vegan, no sugar added dry ciders in an art-filled inclusive oasis (and maybe Claremont Craft Ales across the lot if we feel like mixing things up). It’s right off Old Rt 66, so we’ll drive a portion of that to see the historic spots that are still standing. Might as well drive past the original Mc Donald’s location while we’re in the general vicinity too. That day will also include a stop in Riverside to visit the Cheech Center for Chicano Art (I love that place so much).
Further east yet, we’ll hit up the desert spots: Joshua Tree for a dose of nature, hiking and funky shops and points of interest including the crochet museum and the Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum, Downtown Palm Springs for brunch or the Thursday Night Market, Anza-Borrego Desert for wildflowers in the spring, and all the quirky points of interest along the shores of the Salton Sea.
Finally, back in Temescal Valley where we currently live, we’ll take in the mountain views to the west and the east while sipping coffee or cocktails from our back balcony. We’ll most likely grill steaks and veggies for our guests if we cook at home, but if we’re feeling like letting someone else do the cooking, we’ll grab a delicious pizza to bring home from the Tom’s Farms Wine and Cheese Shop or venture to Michi Tacos in Downtown Lake Elsinore. Breakfast will either be apple fritters from Foothill Donuts in South Corona, or we’ll stop at the Silver Dollar Pancake House in Downtown Corona on our way home from picking up veggies and honey at the Corona Farmer’s Market.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one or two people, honestly, because I’ve been so fortunate in life to have art and art supplies available to me at home and in the community, as well as teachers, friends and family who have accepted me for being the unabashed weirdo that I am, cheering me on as I begin each endeavor, and who buy my art and refer me to their friends. In terms of people who aren’t somehow personally connected to me. I love quotes, so even that is hard to narrow down, but sometimes the most profound wisdom is in the most unexpected places like a coffee mug, an ‘80s movie classic or children’s literature…

Website: www.caracalvertthomas.com

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Image Credits
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