Carole Freeman

Carole Freeman is a Canadian American contemporary figurative artist known for expressive realist portraits and narrative paintings characterized by psychological depth, empathy, and close observation. Freeman works in drawing, painting, printmaking and photography.

Early life and education Freeman was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba in 1954, as the youngest of two brothers and three step-sisters. to record the Royal Visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla—the King's first since his coronation, and a rare Speech from the Throne opening Parliament amid discussions of U.S. challenges to Canadian sovereignty. With privileged access to events (airport arrival, Rideau Hall tree-planting, Senate procession, 21-gun salute, National War Memorial wreath-laying) and rehearsals involving the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment, RCAF Bands, Royal Canadian Dragoons, and RCMP Musical Ride—supported by military logistics and public affairs collaboration—she recorded photographic documentation and observations. The resulting body of work, spanning intimate to monumental scales, is slated for her institutional debut exhibition in Fall 2027, (Uncle of the late Emmett Till) by Carole Freeman Freeman began exhibiting internationally in the late 1970s, with group shows including the 1979 British Petroleum Invitational and the 1980 Royal College of Art Graduate Exhibition in London, UK. Upon returning to Canada, she participated in institutional exhibitions such as the 1985 Fourth Faculty of Fine Arts Biennale at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

In the 2010s, her practice gained attention through solo exhibitions engaging contemporary themes. If the Paparazzi Could Paint (2010), explored celebrity culture. Friend Me: Portraits from Facebook (2011–2012, featured approximately 200 paintings based on digital profile images, using social media as both source and dissemination tool.

Freeman has participated in group exhibitions and art fairs, including Roar (2023), with artists like Jennifer Bartlett, Cecily Brown, and Helen Frankenthaler, Young Masters (2017), and Classical Values: Modern and Contemporary Drawing (2014) with artists like David Hockney, Gustave Klimt, and Picasso, as well as Art Toronto (2014–2015) and Art New York (2017–2018).

Solo exhibitions Hang Mike Pence (window installation), Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY, 2022 Unsung, Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY, 2018 Something About Winnipeg, Gurevich Fine Art, Winnipeg, Canada, 2016 Selections 2012-2016, Walnut Contemporary, Toronto, Canada, 2016 Portraits From Facebook, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto, Canada, 2011 Doing the Docs, Toronto International Film Festival Headquarters Hyatt Regency Hotel, Toronto, Canada, 2011 If the Paparazzi Could Paint, International Film Festival Official Headquarters Hyatt Regency Hotel, Toronto, Canada, 2010 If the Paparazzi Could Paint, Rebecca Gallery, Toronto, Canada, 2010

Group Exhibitions and Art Fairs Satellite Art Fair, Brenda Taylor Gallery, Miami, Fl, 2025 A Delicate Balance, Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, 2025 Heads, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes: 20th & 21st Century Faces & Figures, Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY, 2024 Roar (Jennifer Bartlett, Louis Bourgeois, Cecily Brown, Helen Frankenthaler, Carole Freeman, Deborah Kass, Barbara Kruger, Elizabeth Murray, Yoko Ono, Kiki Smith, Lisa Yuskavage), Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY, 2023 Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Exhibition, Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY, 2022 12 Chairs, Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York, NY, 2019 Satellite Art Show, Curatious, Miami, FL, 2018 Boston International Fine Art Show, Brenda Taylor Gallery, Boston, MA, 2018 Art New York, Cynthia Corbett Gallery, New York, NY, 2018 Young Masters, Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London, UK, 2017 Art +, Van Der Plas Gallery, New York, NY, 2017 ArtToronto, Gurevich Fine Art, Toronto, Canada, 2015 ArtToronto, Gurevich Fine Art, Toronto, Canada, 2014 Classical Values: Modern and Contemporary Drawing, Leslie Sacks Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 Women's Art, Gurevich Fine Art, Winnipeg, Canada, 2014 Women's Art Now, Leslie Sacks Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA, 2013 Art Takes Times Square, New York, NY, 2012

Commissions Notable commissions include a portrait for The Glass House in New Canaan, CT, three paintings for Jerry Saltz (Senior Art Critic, New York Magazine) and Roberta Smith (Senior Art Critic, NY Times), New York, NY, art dealer Jim Kempner, New York, NY, Guy Barron, Barron Collection, Bloomfield Hills, MI, the final portrait of Los Angeles art dealer Leslie Sacks for African Art from the Leslie Sacks Collection published by Skira, documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, New York, NY, Lord and Lady Glentorran, Dublin, Ireland, portraits of Norman Jewison and David Mirvish for Harold Green Theatre Company, Toronto, Canada, Stefan Olsson (owner Stena Sphere), London, UK, and other international private collectors.

Recognition Freeman received awards during her studies which include the Royal College of Art Travel Award, and the University of Toronto Visual Art Award. She was granted two Canada Council Project Cost Grants and a four month residency at La Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris, France. Following her 2011 Toronto solo exhibition, Friend Me: Portraits of Facebook, Freeman was invited to the Canadian Arts Summit at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity as a guest panelist on the topic, Making Art in the Age of New Media, moderated by Janet Carding, Director of the Royal Ontario Museum. In 2018 she was invited by the Department of Visual Art, Brown University, Providence, RI, to conduct student critiques and deliver a talk about her work, specifically her New York solo exhibition Unsung. Freeman has produced commission work for Jerry Saltz, senior art critic for New York Magazine and Roberta Smith, co-chief art critic for The New York Times, Lord and Lady Glentorran, the Barron Collection, and Morgan Spurlock, filmmaker.

Inspiring Minds: Perspective. Sean Moore, Fall, 2019

The Brown Daily Herald

Visiting artist aims to show 'ray of hope'; in paintings. Jango McCormick, November 12, 2018

New York Magazine

Carole Freeman: Unsung, The difference-makers. Jerry Saltz, April 15, 2018

The Guardian

Unsung heroes: portraits of figures who deserve artistic recognition. Nadja Sayej, March 16, 2018

Wall Street International

22 Apr 2018 at Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York. March 28, 2018

Artnet News

Editor's Picks: 14 Things to See in New York This Week. Sarah Cascone, March 12, 2018

Editor's Picks: 14 Things to See in New York This Week. Sarah Cascone, April 16, 2018

Winnipeg Free Press

Painting the Faces of Winnipeg. Alison Gilmore, October 31, 2016

Artoronto

Carole Freeman's Selections 2012-2016 at Walnut Contemporary. David Saric, August, 2016

Arabella

Surprise Appearances.Gary Michael Dault, Summer Issue, 2016

Globe and Mail

Carole Freeman Finds Her Muse on Facebook, James Adams, December 2, 2011

Carole Freeman's Facebook Friends. December 2, 2011

Permanent collections

Public collections University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, Winnipeg, Canada Jerry Saltz and Roberta Smith Collection Morgan Spurlock Leslie Sacks Estate Stefan Olsson (Stena Sphere) Brian Levitt (Chair, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / TD Bank Financial Group) Lord and Lady Glentoran Collection