Photograph by A. Smailovic
About
Combining classical and illustrative techniques in watercolor, pen and ink and traditional dry media, Carolin draws inspiration from myth, history, the human story and recollections from her world travels. Delicate and ethereal, complex and full of exquisite detail, her symbolic works whisper secrets of her mythical realm, The Islands of Niljora.
An artist since childhood, Carolin was granted a full time scholarship and completed her degree with honours at The Savannah College of Art & Design. Alongside exhibiting in The United States, New Zealand and Europe, she has engaged in projects for books, covers and magazines and featured in publications including The International A.R.C. Salon Catalogue, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Infected By Art, Hyperlux Magazine and Fabled Magazine.
Her works can be found in collections in The United States, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and India and her books are held in the permanent heritage collections of New Zealand's National and University Libraries.
Interviews:
https://beautifulbizarre.net/carolin-leary-prinn-interview
https://hyperluxmagazine.com/the-mythical-art-of-carolin-leary-prinn/
"Part myth, adventure and spiritual journey, my works are the artefacts of my mythical world, The Islands of Niljora. A reflection of our universal human story, its tales are discovered through my world travels, those I meet and conversations of life. My works explore life's inner journeys, philosophies, concepts of hope and destiny. They herald tales of heroes and deity-like observers, passing quiet gazes over the patterns and questions of the human world. These interests weave into a lifelong fascination with nature, the mystical and the mythological."
• • •
"From madness and nothingness came the creature Niljora."
Carolin Leary Prinn is a Fantastical Fine Artist, Painter, Illustrator & Author - art-of-carolin-prinn, symbolic art, surreal art, esoteric art, fantasy art, mystical art, spiritual art, beautiful bizarre artist directory, International ARC Salon, Adam Portraiture Award, Florence Academy of Art, Savannah College of Art and Design, new contemporary artist, fantasy artist
Exhibitions
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Title TBA, Boise, ID, U.S.A., 2026
Curio Art Gallery, Distant Echoes: European Myths & Legends, Portugal, 2026
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Labyrinth of Dreams, Boise, ID, U.S.A., 2026
Every Day Original, Regular Artist Roster, 2026
WOW x WOW, Symbiotic Loops, UK, 2026
Nucleus Portland, P.S. 10, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., 2025
Every Day Original, Newbie November Artist Roster, 2025
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Yours Truly, Boise, ID, U.S.A., 2025
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Echoes of The Raven, Boise, ID, U.S.A., 2025
Curio Art Gallery, Enchanted Fables, Portugal, 2025
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Art of Lore, Boise, ID, U.S.A., 2025
Nucleus House, P.S. 9, Portland, OR, U.S.A. 2024
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Enigmatic World of Owls, Boise, ID, U.S.A., 2024
Modern Eden Gallery, The Portrait Show 12: Myth, San Francisco, U.S.A., 2024
The Frankfurt Book Fair, 2023
The Florence Academy of Art, Student exhibition, 2020
New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, The Parkin Drawing Prize, Wellington, 2019
New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, The Parkin Drawing Prize, Wellington, 2018
PRO4, Wanderlust, Berlin, 2016 & 2017
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, The Adam Portraiture Award Exhibition, Wellington, 2017
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, The Adam Portraiture Award National Tour, 2014-2016
Deluxe, Worlds, Wellington, New Zealand, 2016
TSB Arena, The New Zealand Art Show, Wellington, New Zealand, 2015
Bartley + Company Art, Art4Vanuatu Charity Show, Wellington, New Zealand, 2015
2 Eva Street, Exhibit One, Wellington, New Zealand, 2015
Deluxe, Entrance To The Secret Worlds, Wellington, New Zealand, 2014
Deluxe, The Primordials (solo), Wellington, New Zealand, 2013
August, Drawings (solo), Wellington, New Zealand, 2013
Artist Exposition, Isle Sur La Sorgue, France, 2010
Rue Tromphime, S.C.A.D. Residency Show, Lacoste, France, 2010
Publication & Awards
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine - Issues 49, 45
International A.R.C. Salon Finalist & Semi-finalist - 14,16,17,18
The Lunar Codex - "The Polaris Collection" - digital time capsule stored on the moon
Hyperlux Magazine - Interview: "The Mythical Art of Carolin Leary Prinn"
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine - "Interview with Carolin Leary Prinn, Magical Realist Painter"
The Almenara Art Prize Finalist - Cordoba, Spain
"The Spirit of Shadows" purchased for permanent heritage collections of New Zealand's National Library
"The Spirit of Shadows" purchased for The Otago University Library, New Zealand
"The Primordials" purchased for The Otago University Library, New Zealand
"The Primordials" purchased for the permanent collections of New Zealand's National Library
Scholarship Awarded - The Florence Academy of Art
The Parkin Drawing Prize Finalist - 2018, 2019 - New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts
RadioActive FM - Artist Interview - Wellington, New Zealand
Artist Talk, Dir. Skougaard, Denmark Museum of National History, N.Z.P.G.
The Adam Portrait Award Finalist - 2016, 2018 - The New Zealand Portrait Gallery
The Adam Portrait Award National Tour - The New Zealand Portrait Gallery
Painting Residence - The Savannah College of Art & Design, Lacoste, France
Advanced to graduate classes in Concept Art - Savannah College of Art & Design, U.S.A.
Dean's List, 4 years - Savannah College of Art & Design, U.S.A.
Artistic Honours Scholarship Award, 4 years - Savannah College of Art & Design
Scholarship Awarded - San Francisco Academy of Art
Honourable Mention - The National Scholastic Art Award, U.S.A.
Galleries
Poetic Tiger Gallery, Boise, ID, U.S.A. - Available artwork at Poetic Tiger Gallery
WOW x WOW, Scotland, UK - Available artwork at WOW x WOW
Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, U.S.A. - Available artwork at Modern Eden Gallery
Nucleus Portland, Portland, OR, U.S.A. - Available artwork at Nucleus Portland
Published Books
The Spirit of Shadows, A Collection of Tales from The Islands of Niljora, Carolin Leary Prinn, 2021
The Primordials & Tales from The Islands of Niljora, Carolin Leary Prinn, 2015
Education
B.F.A. with Honours, Savannah College of Art & Design, U.S.A., 2010
Classical Drawing and Painting, Florence Academy of Art, Italy, 2019-2021
Workshop, Per Olav Olsen and Melissa Franklin Sanchez, Florence Academy of Art, Italy, 2017
White Cloud Workshop, Paul Tobin (WETA), New Zealand, 2008
