The artful narratives of Carrie Ann Baade spark our thoughts with curiosity and wonder. Through surreal symbolism, her visual antidotes and extraordinary compositions allow us, the inquisitive viewer, to delve deeper into her irrevocable style. In this shared experience, we wander into her dreamlike world, beguiled by her vison.
Weaving in and out of her fantastical fables, where imagination is limitless, her love language for the arts transcends words with evocative illustrative renderings. Experiencing Carrie Ann’s work is as though one is reaching into the artistic soul and pulling from it pages of a secret diary. Compelling, timeless, and brimming with juxtapositions, we are eager to explore.
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Carrie Ann to learn more about her exhibition, The Surreal Imaginings of Carrie Ann Baade, opening October 19th, at the Tallahassee Community College in the Fine and Performing Arts Center on the main TCC campus.
Discover Carrie Ann Baade’s Scissors & Tears Hardcover: “The first comprehensive monograph on the paintings of Carrie Ann Baade. Showcasing approximately 100 paintings from 2002 to the present, this is a vivid exploration of Baade’s investigation into surreal self-portraits.”
The Surreal Imaginings of Carrie Ann Baade, TCC Fine Art
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 19, 2023 | 5 pm
Exhibition Dates: October 19 – December 7, 2023
Location: Fine and Performing Arts Center on the main campus, Tallahassee Community College
Press Release //
The Surreal Imagining of Carrie Ann Baade showcases over 30 paintings and 15 collages spanning 20 years of artmaking. The haunting beauty of her oil paintings invokes the mythic past, with echoes of the self in layered narratives and fantastical parables. Baade unlocks stories from her subconscious mind, revealing psychological revelations in stimulating and provocative combinations.
This is the most extensive local exhibition of Carrie Ann Baade’s work to date. Arriving in Tallahassee in 2007, Baade has painted here in north Florida and traveled her works to be exhibited nationally and internationally in over 25 solo exhibits and 200 group shows, including the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Mesa Contemporary Museum of Art, the Delaware Contemporary, Billy Shire Fine Arts and La Luz de Jesus in Los Angeles, the Harwood Museum in Taos, the Warsaw Cultural Center, the Instituto de America de Santa Fe in Granada, Spain; and the Ningbo Art Museum in China.
On view at Tallahassee Community College October 19 – December 7, the opening is October 19th at 5 pm. Find us in the Fine and Performing Arts Center on the main campus.
Open every Monday through Friday* from 12:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. The Gallery is also open in the evenings and on weekends during events held in Turner Auditorium. Admission to the Fine Art Gallery is free and open to the public. Parking on the campus of Tallahassee Community College is also free. https://www.tcc.fl.edu/student-life/arts-and-culture/tcc-fine-art-gallery/
For inquiries on purchasing, please get in touch with Venvi Gallery. For additional inquiries contact Carrie Ann Baade at carrieannbaade@gmail.com
Exclusive Interview with Carrie Ann Baade
We are so happy to talk to you about your upcoming exhibition The Surreal Imaginings of Carrie Ann Baade! This show features over 30 paintings and 15 collages spanning 20 years of your career. Congratulations – this is such an accomplished, sprawling history of your dedication to reflect upon. What expectations did you give yourself in preparation of this exhibition? Will you share your process and how you decided which works would be included?
Thank you for your kind words. This exhibition is a labor of love to share with the community that I live in. I have not had the time to reflect on my artistic journey yet as I am tying up all the details and finishing work still. In preparing for this show, I aimed to create a cohesive narrative that would showcase the evolution of my work over the past 20 years by borrowing work back from collectors.
It was important to me that the exhibition not only presents a chronology of my creative endeavors but also conveys the underlying themes and emotions that have shaped my artistic expression.
Allowing yourself to go through each phase of creation, without glitching, will allow for your art to come through from your mind into reality.
Your art succumbs to emotion, symbolism and immersive details that allow the viewer to pose questions and, in some ways, inject their own interpretations. Is there any overarching narrative or feeling you hope audiences take with them?
Absolutely. For me, art is a gateway to the realm of emotion and symbolism, a space where viewers can engage in their own contemplations. The pieces in this exhibition are a testament to the vivid landscapes of the mind, meticulously brought to life through the medium of paint. As a professor, I often emphasize the power of imagination to my students. I refer to the mind as a garden, what you plant there grows.
I encourage them to see their minds as “water computers,” reservoirs of problem-solving and idea-generation potential. In a world increasingly reliant on silicon-based computing for answers, it’s vital to cultivate the skill of asking meaningful, probing questions. It is amazing to feed your mind interesting questions and see what the response is.
Some of my favorite paintings were made this way and I was astounded by the answers. I hope to inspire wonder and curiosity through my work. The exhibition serves as an invitation to delve into the fecund territory of imagination, where invention and introspection coalesce.
Every artist has their own creative process, nurturing mindset, and goal whether it be the ideations of a new painting, drawing, or the thrill of an exhibition. As you previously shared your exhibition preparation, was there anything different that you did or changed from previous shows?
Most artists encounter moments of creative blockage or contend with an internal critic. I’ve found it helpful to identify which tarot archetypes come into play during different stages of creation. This way, I can give each phase its due consideration. When it’s time to germinate ideas, I resonate with the High Priestess, embodying the genesis of concepts. These initial sparks of inspiration are swiftly transcribed onto paper or a sketchbook.
Then comes the Empress phase, akin to knitting together the DNA of the artwork. During this time, I engage in studies, focus on specific elements, and delve into research and sourcing materials. It’s a period characterized by trust and faith in the creative process, as the Empress nurtures the artwork, much like a flower-yielding fruit.
The role of the Emperor follows, embodying the force that brings the work to fruition. This phase involves dedicated, repetitive efforts, ultimately culminating in the completion of the creation. I often find myself in the dual roles of a nurturing maternal figure and the driving force behind the work, a metaphor that provides clarity regarding my role in the artistic process.
Finally, the phase of the Hierophant, or critic, emerges as a critical component for growth and refinement. Recognizing and rectifying mistakes is integral to the evolutionary process of the artwork. It necessitates a perspective that separates the work from the artist, allowing for objective assessment and the determination of necessary adjustments.
Maintaining a disciplined sequence of these phases is crucial. Rushing to the critique phase prematurely can disrupt the natural flow. Many a great idea has been crushed by going from the High Priestess to the Hierophant too soon. The Hierophant must patiently await its turn, ensuring the creative cycle remains smooth.
I’m sharing this because it’s been a game-changer for me, and I hope it resonates with fellow artists in their creative journeys. It’s a testament to the intricate and deeply personal nature of the artistic process. Allowing yourself to go through each phase of creation, without glitching, will allow for your art to come through from your mind into reality. I hope this helps others!
My goal is to paint for another 40 years and to do this, I need to be careful with my body, my time, but above all I think of artmaking as soul work. This is an incredible journey of self-through-making. Sometimes we give birth to art but if we are lucky, we give birth to ourselves.
In the same vein will you give us glimmer of your workspace? What was that like during those hours/days/months spent organizing the fundamentals of your creative mind, and the aesthetic of being surrounded by your vision – perhaps at times while under pressure or deadlines?
I am really messy; it’s essential to my creativity. If all the drawers and cabinets are standing open in my studio, I know that I am at my creative height. My studio needs excavating right now as I am coming out of multiple solo exhibits and lots of new work. It’s a place of creation and destruction with only meager attempts to maintain order. It’s a safe place for me to go mad in. All I have ever wanted was a room of my own. Deadlines for me induce labor. I use deadlines to make work. Without deadlines… I would likely go read a book.
As this is the most extensive local exhibition of your work to date, sharing your artistic vision and having it validated with a gallery exhibition must feel very rewarding?
I think of each solo show as a wedding to my art. There is a cake and dress and a crowd. I renew my vows. I thank everyone for coming and I start planning for the next show.
What self-reflection did you experience and how crucial was this motivation during a time when being present with yourself (while always important) was especially pivotal?
At age 50, I look at artmaking like an athlete and a mystic. I exhibit nationally and internationally, which requires I have funding and strategic planning. I need to stretch before and after I paint or I can have pulled muscles. I train. I put it long hours. I max out. I recover. As I age, I need to be more efficient with my life and my time.
My goal is to paint for another 40 years and to do this, I need to be careful with my body, my time, but above all I think of artmaking as soul work. This is an incredible journey of self-through-making. Sometimes we give birth to art but if we are lucky, we give birth to ourselves.
Social media is a mainstay for many and one that can directly impact emotional wellness. Do you ever experience self-doubt from the enmeshed pressures of social media? How do you manage it?
We live in a global digital era. To have an art career without social media is to risk anonymity. Social media is a tool that requires self-control. I regret when I don’t use my time wisely. We all need to practice media fasting. I am embarrassed to say how many reels I have watched since COVID-19. I had never seen these before.
As artists, we represent the highest form of their aspirations. Embrace this legacy and recognize the immense value of your creations. Be the glorious boom on the vine of their momentum. This artistic path is both noble and demanding. Always strive to do your best.
What has been the best advice you’ve received and what would you say to emerging artists that look to you for inspiration?
Something I’d like to share with emerging artists is that it is important to be both an introvert who has intensive time in the studio and it’s important to go out and live! I think of myself as both an “innie” and out “outie.” Embrace life and recognize this is as integral to the creative process because you must grow and mature to contribute to your work. Take the time to immerse yourself in experiences like travel, reading, dancing, or connecting with nature. Understand that your mind carries your internal studio, allowing you to create wherever you are. Approach each endeavor with mindfulness, acknowledging that you can’t draw from an empty well but trust that it will refill with time.
I’ve often encountered moments of self-doubt, which I refer to as the ‘fraud’ feeling. It’s that nagging sense of inadequacy, but I’ve learned that the antidote is to create. Reflecting on Van Gogh’s philosophy, his words resonate deeply: “if you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, and then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” This embodies the transformative power of action in the face of self-doubt.
By sitting with it, dedicating time to my studio, and engaging in seemingly mundane tasks, a sense of flow eventually takes over. After several hours, I find myself in a state of heightened creativity or what I call “GAWD”, and I am one with the spirit of creation.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that each of us is a culmination of our family line; we each come from incredibly hardworking individuals who contributed to our existence. We are the living manifestation of their hopes, dreams, and prayers. As artists, we represent the highest form of their aspirations. Embrace this legacy and recognize the immense value of your creations. Be the glorious boom on the vine of their momentum. This artistic path is both noble and demanding. Always strive to do your best.
As the seasons change, we too change with them. What are you looking forward to in the days ahead? Will you share with us what you see on the horizon?
Looking forward, I’m thrilled about my upcoming 2025 exhibition, “Birthplace,” at New Orleans’ LeMieux Galleries. This series delves into the overlooked stories of diverse women in colonial Louisiana through collage-based paintings. It’s all about revealing these untold visual histories.
This project is fueled by extensive genealogical research, uncovering a lineage of underrepresented women with diverse origins. They’re the inspiration behind reimagined portraits, created through careful curation of archival imagery. This leads to detailed oil paintings, a multimedia installation, and a graphic novel, requiring new skills like experimental digital photography.
This journey into my roots has been eye-opening. New Orleans stands out as a hub of significant historical events, shedding light on the lives of marginalized individuals. This newfound understanding of my hometown fuels my passion for sharing these untold stories. I’m excited to bring this project to life!
