Carol Woodin: Botanical Artist

Carol Woodin has been a botanical artist for about 30 years now. She started her plant painting journey with orchids, but her work has evolved to include every variety of plant you could think of. 

“I started out with just orchids, and now I paint almost anything. I never run out of inspiration. It's always an interesting thing to be doing.”

Her love for plants wasn’t something she grew up with, but developed later on when she started experiencing more varieties of plants. 

“You know, when I was growing up, I had no connection to plants whatsoever…I think I was in about my mid-twenties when I started to get out and in nature more, and I moved to the country and I started to just be bowled over by some of the wildflowers that were out there…I just really was shocked that they just grew wild. So I was really compelled to paint them.”

Although Carol’s affinity for plants was not always present, she feels especially thankful for them for what they’ve provided her in and outside of her work. 

“As far as plants go, I couldn't have asked any more of them. First of all, of course, they feed me, but second of all, they've just given me so much in life.”

Carol thinks that working with plants through art has given her the special opportunity to learn about the intricate details of the species that otherwise might have gone overlooked. 

“By drawing really carefully you're understanding the plant. Your drawing is really teaching you to look at things really closely…So after I've done the drawing and the field study like this, I feel like I really know the plant.”

Visit Carol’s website for more information about her work, or follow her on Instagram @carolwoodinbotanical

A film by Mia Allen + Chris Eadicicco.