Carol White

Carolyn White is a West Tennessee native whose work celebrates imperfection, transformation, and the hidden beauty in everyday things. Growing up near the Tennessee River, Carolyn developed an early curiosity for the weathered, the worn, and the wonderfully ordinary. Whether she’s shaping clay by hand or layering color over bark and fabric, her art invites viewers to slow down and discover the quiet stories held in texture and time.

A self-taught artist since childhood, Carolyn’s creative curiosity has taken many forms—but she always circles back to multimedia acrylic and handbuilt pottery. In both mediums, she finds joy in the process: building layers, uncovering surprises, and letting each piece evolve in its own rhythm. Her signature texture medium is made from unexpected materials—often things you wouldn’t find in an art store but that speak to the resilience and creativity of everyday life.

Carolyn’s approach is deeply intuitive. Her mixed media works begin with found and natural materials like bark, flowers, and fabric. She applies and removes layers of paint, letting each reveal glimpses of what came before. It’s slow, meditative, and grounded in emotion. Her handbuilt ceramics offer a different kind of magic—transforming cold lumps of clay into delicate forms that feel both ancient and new.

Through it all, Carolyn is driven by connection. She hopes viewers will feel something—whether it’s curiosity, comfort, or simply the pleasure of touching a surface shaped by hand.

Her work has been exhibited throughout Tennessee and beyond, including a featured exhibit at The Renaissance Center in Dickson, where she was honored as an “innovative artist” for her use of unconventional materials. The Ayers Foundation also holds several of her pieces. Carolyn served as President of the Jackson Visual Art Association and continues to play an active role in the local creative community.

“I want each piece to be an invitation—where people can find their own meaning, connect with the texture, and enjoy the feel of the work.”