My story

Quiet & introverted by nature, I grew up using the process of making art to escape into my inner world—a place full of wonder & possibility.

As a kid I was told I was too idealistic and impractical, but now I see those qualities as strengths. If you can’t believe in your idealistic vision, how will you create it—even on a canvas?

Painting is my way of believing in myself and no longer asking permission to be me. I love to explore being bold and taking chances by by putting bright & contrasting colors together, making a mess, and letting the drips fall and the paint splatter.

Nature, animals, and the deeper questions in life are what inspire me. I love abundant color, strong composition, and the excitement of making a beautiful mess!

Spontaneity, fun, freedom, & joy are the magical feelings that call to me, and I hope to inspire them within you!

**Growing up, my family had cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, and even a pet rat.**

**I’ve always loved & felt a deep connection with animals, which shows in my work as they’re a frequent subject.**

Scroll down below if you’re interested in my educational background and professional experience.

I was featured by a publication called ShoutOut SoCal! You can read my full interview here.

Educational Background & Professional Cred… if you’re into that sorta thing ;)

I grew up in beautiful Redondo Beach of Southern California, and showed a talent for the visual arts from an early age.
In high school I received national recognition for my artwork from the AP College Board. I was flown to Nashville, TN for the national College Board gallery show where my artwork was featured as one of the top AP Art submissions in the country.
I was awarded the Ryman Arts Scholarship for young artists and completed the fine art training program at the University of California (USC) during my high school years.
I graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Studio Art. (2008)
A few years after graduation I decided to start my own business selling my artwork. I began by selling directly to tourists on the Venice Beach boardwalk—I did this full time for many years.
Since then I’ve sold over 10,000 pieces of artwork to collectors—at gallery shows, art fairs, markets, and online.
I’ve completed over 40 private art commissions, 26 of which were commissions for corporate clients including Smartsheet, Inc., Clinique, and Disney.
I was also commissioned by Smartsheet, Inc. to design & create a 10x10 promotional art booth for the Bellevue Arts Fair in Washington, showcasing the commissioned artwork I had done for the company. I was flown up by Smartsheet, Inc. to attend the fair & sign artwork at the booth
I have artwork in private collections all over the world—Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Japan, & more.
My artwork has been collected by a current Supreme Court Justice of the United States.

Contact for originals

shop prints

view all artwork

"This young woman is a lovely human being and was a wonderful person to meet. Her artwork is vibrant, colorful and full of expression. Support her, she's great!"

-Nadine Flowers

I first laid eyes upon Carissa's beautiful work in Venice Beach on vacation... Artists need encouragement and support, I would do anything to reassure her that her art is worth continuing to make."

-Karen Leblanc

Some random fun facts about me:

Interests besides art - Hiking & nature, food. Health, well-being, meditation, exercise, spirituality.

Fav TV - Star Trek: Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space 9. StarGate SG-1. Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul. The Walking Dead. Love sci-fi or apocalyptic.

My story

Quiet & introverted by nature, I grew up using the process of making art to escape into my inner world—a place full of wonder & possibility.

As a kid I was told I was too idealistic and impractical, but now I see those qualities as strengths. If you can’t believe in your idealistic vision, how will you create it—even on a canvas?

Painting is my way of believing in myself and no longer asking permission to be me. I love to explore being bold and taking chances by by putting bright & contrasting colors together, making a mess, and letting the drips fall and the paint splatter.

Nature, animals, and the deeper questions in life are what inspire me. I love abundant color, strong composition, and the excitement of making a beautiful mess!

Spontaneity, fun, freedom, & joy are the magical feelings that call to me, and I hope to inspire them within you!

Scroll down below if you’re interested in my educational background and professional experience.

I was featured by a publication called ShoutOut SoCal! You can read my full interview here.

Educational Background & Professional Cred… if you’re into that sorta thing ;)

I grew up in beautiful Redondo Beach of Southern California, and showed a talent for the visual arts from an early age.

In high school I received national recognition for my artwork from the AP College Board. I was flown to Nashville, TN for the national College Board gallery show where my artwork was featured as one of the top AP Art submissions in the country.

I was awarded the Ryman Arts Scholarship for young artists and completed the fine art training program at the University of California (USC) during my high school years.

I graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Studio Art. (2008)

A few years after graduation I decided to start my own business selling my artwork. I began by selling directly to tourists on the Venice Beach boardwalk—I did this full time for many years.

Since then I’ve sold over 10,000 pieces of artwork to collectors—at gallery shows, art fairs, markets, and online.

I’ve completed over 40 private art commissions, 26 of which were commissions for corporate clients including Smartsheet, Inc., Clinique, and Disney.

I was also commissioned by Smartsheet, Inc. to design & create a 10x10 promotional art booth for the Bellevue Arts Fair in Washington, showcasing the commissioned artwork I had done for the company. I was flown up by Smartsheet, Inc. to attend the fair & sign artwork at the booth

I have artwork in private collections all over the world—Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Japan, & more.

My artwork has been collected by a current Supreme Court Justice of the United States.

"This young woman is a lovely human being and was a wonderful person to meet. Her artwork is vibrant, colorful and full of expression. Support her, she's great!"

-Nadine Flowers

I first laid eyes upon Carissa's beautiful work in Venice Beach on vacation... Artists need encouragement and support, I would do anything to reassure her that her art is worth continuing to make."

-Karen Leblanc

Some random fun facts about me:

Interests besides art - Hiking & nature, food. Health, well-being, meditation, exercise, spirituality.

Fav TV - Star Trek: Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space 9. StarGate SG-1. Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul. The Walking Dead. Love sci-fi or apocalyptic.

Fav music - High energy techno or electronic (think futuristic sounds, dance oriented). I like music that puts me in a high energy, meditative state.

Former Kickboxer & Soccer player - lover of fitness & exercise

Coffee Addict!

Self diagnosed loner - more time for painting! 😜

Pssst!

If you’d like to follow my work and stay in touch, sign up for my e-mail list below (and receive a free coloring book! )