Pamela Carroll

Born in 1948 and raised in Southern California, Pamela Carroll is a self-taught realist painter based in Carmel, California. Inspired by early Dutch and Spanish masters as well as contemporary realists, Carroll’s work reflects the traditional techniques of Classical Realism. Her commitment to painting from life and her focus on still life and portraiture have earned her recognition for capturing the subtle beauty of everyday objects with remarkable precision.

A major highlight of Carroll’s career came in 2006, when First Lady Laura Bush invited her to illustrate the White House Christmas Program after encountering a children’s book Carroll had illustrated. She was named the White House Artist of the Year and featured on HGTV’s White House Christmas Tour. Carroll has also illustrated seven children’s books and had her techniques featured in Western Art Collector, Southwest Art Magazine, Pratique des Arts, and The Artist’s Magazine.

Her work has been exhibited at the Monterey Museum of Art, the Carmel Art Association, and the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Known for rendering objects and people with emotional depth and technical skill, Carroll describes her paintings as “part illusion, part reality.” After a 16-year break to raise her family, she returned to the studio with renewed focus, continuing to create art that invites viewers to discover beauty in the everyday.