Central Vermont Medical Center

Art Gallery

Sea Wonders: works of fabric and thread by Carolyn Shapiro

On display at Central Vermont Medical Center Art Gallery: March 23, 2026 - April 11, 2026

Exhibition Opening and Artist Talk: April 9, 2026 4:30pm to 6pm

Artist Bio: I have done many types of artwork from technical drawings, murals, watercolors and quilts to three-dimensional folk-art pieces. I have a credential from Rhode Island School of Design in Scientific and Technical Illustration and an art minor on my Standard Secondary Teaching Credential from California. I have a master’s degree in Visual Communications from Vermont College and was the Assistant to the Director of the Masters of Fine Arts Program at Vermont College.

In my artwork, I enjoy the emphasis being on “creating” rather than on “artist”, on the verb rather than the noun. What is important to me is the process and interrelationships that I value in bringing art to life in the community. Some of my recent art projects have been: Artist in Residence at Hubbell Trading Post National Monument in Arizona doing watercolors of employees and visitors to the Trading Post; Conceived and permitted the mural park and designed and painted murals on two structures under 89 interstate highway in Montpelier; Oversaw planning and implementation of two murals along pedestrian walkway in Montpelier, Vermont; Designed and painted the mural in the Children’s Library at the Kellogg Hubbard Library in Montpelier, VT; Organized and fabricated community quilts for newborn babies in the neighborhood Made quilts for children in the Montpelier Family Center; Researched, developed and painted background mural for ancient pueblo ceramics at Amerind Museum, Dragoon, Arizona.

In her own words: Water has been significant in my artwork. The sea is a major part of our earth and salt water is a major part of our bodies. With this thought in mind, I have made pieces that are an homage to the sea. Having grown up with a mother who sewed and who loved fabric, I feel comfortable using fabric as one of my media of expression. The flow of fabric creates a sense of freedom with its movement, design, texture. I hope these pieces encourage you to look closely at our relationship to the ocean and to enter into the ways in which we are directly connected to the earth’s salt water.

Our connection to the sea: All the water in our bodies is salt water, and our bodies are 60% water. Our brain is 75% water; blood 83%; heart 79%; muscles 75%, liver 85%, kidneys 83% lungs 83%, skin 64%.

If you are interested in purchasing one of Carolyn’s paintings, please contact her directly: 802-522-0431 | carolyn@energybalance.us