Q&A: Caroline Arnold Shares Her Passion for Art

North Canton Patch: Where are you from?

Caroline Arnold: I am from North Canton, Ohio. I work at as a shelver or "page," as we are referred to as there, and I love it! So I am quite the bookworm. (Arnold turned 21 today.)

North Canton Patch: How did you get involved in art?

Arnold: My parents have many terrible memories of me getting hold of pens, markers, black Sharpies and just drawing on anything. I drew on staircases, walls, even myself. I've always been an artsy, crafty-type person. Since elementary school, art was always my favorite class, and my teachers always encouraged me a lot. Art has just always been something I really put all my effort into and strive to be better at. I'm always looking for ways to improve my work and ways to get new ideas. My friends, family and co-workers keep me busy with new projects to make for them, which is always very exciting to do and makes me more confident in my ability to do commission work. 

North Canton Patch: Do you have a specific area of art that interests you the most?

Arnold: I have always loved studying people. I'd say drawing people, whether it's in realistic or cartoon-form, has always been my favorite thing to do art-wise. Illustrations are amazing to me. Things you would see in comic books or art for children's stories are my favorite type of area to try and draw from. 

North Canton Patch: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Arnold: Well, working in the children's section of the North Canton Public Library has really opened up my imagination! All of those amazing children's books' illustrations are so inspirational to the type of art I enjoy doing the most. I've actually recently come across two artists from looking through books in there that are now my favorite and most influential artists to me: Gris Grimly and David Catrow. They both have this very quirky, strange appeal to them that I love. 

North Canton Patch: When you are working on a project, do you have a certain time, setting or atmosphere that you prefer?

Arnold: I'd say most of my artwork is done in the evening, and more often than not, in my bedroom. My room is a very comfy place to me and although I wish I had better lighting in there, it is my favorite place to relax and draw. Every now and then it's kind of fun to go outside somewhere, just sit and doodle things around you — things you can't see from your bedroom. 

North Canton Patch: Why do you think local art is important to the community?

Arnold: Well, art in general is important. It's something to make people think and feel. To be able to capture a moment or a feeling in a piece of art is timeless. Art is everywhere. Local art is important because I feel like anyone with a decent amount of talent should be able to have their hard work put out there for people to see. It's great as an artist to get your name out there. 

North Canton Patch: What are you most excited about for Sunday in the City and what will you be displaying? Will you be selling anything?

Arnold: What I'm looking forward to the most is just being a part of it all, to have my own table and be amongst other great artists. Art is a pretty solitary thing, so it's nice to know there are other people like you out there and you're all together in one place. I am excited for people of the community to enjoy the event as well!  I will be displaying a lot of different types of things. I have some mixed-media paintings, some trinket-keychains I have hand made out of Polymer clay and just different odds and ends. Any little trinket will be up for sale, along with many of the paintings. I have a few drawings I may not put up for sale, but other than that, I plan on trying to sell many things. 

North Canton Patch: What kind of art do you have hanging at your house?

Arnold: I've done a few abstract paintings for my mom, who has them hung up in her bedroom. Drawings I've done from when I was very young. In my room, I have jars of 3-D origami stars sitting on a shelf that I've made, and in my room I have some Van Gogh prints I am going to be putting up soon. 

North Canton Patch: If you could meet one artist from the past, who would it be?

Arnold: Vincent Van Gogh has always intrigued me. The story of his life and struggle is a pretty powerful thing to read about. His work definitely portrays much of his feeling into them, and I like that. So, if I had to choose an artist from the past, it would be him. 

North Canton Patch: How do you bring art into everyday life?

Arnold: I'm not really sure how to answer this! I try to draw every day, even if it's just a small cartoon or of something insignificant. Art is everywhere — so, to me the way I decorate my room, the clothes I choose to wear or the things I arrange at work are all ways I bring art into everyday life. 

North Canton Patch: Describe what art means to you in a sentence or two.

Arnold: Art, to me, is a constant motion of beauty, pain, happiness and sadness. Art can make the simplest things become more beautiful or more noticeable. Really, if I wasn't able to create, I would go crazy! It's the perfect outlet for any mood or feeling.