Carolyn Heller

Carolyn Heller (9 January 1937 – 22 August 2011) was a Florida painter and decorative artist. She painted primarily in the realm of decorative arts, using bright colors and often tropical motifs.

Early life and education

She was born Carolyn Frohsin in Alexander City, Alabama in 1937. Her parents, Ralph and Frances, were the owners of the Alabama-based Frohsins Department Store. Throughout the 1950s and 1970s, her work was heavily themed around flowers. In the 2000s, her paintings became more abstract, with her continued use of bold colors. It was during the 2000s when she started producing decorative arts. She designed jewelry and textiles, and also produced serigraphs. Her studio was located in her garage. She painted while watching television, with an affinity for adult animation. Her family discovered a collection of never published prints in her house. A selection of the prints were loaned to a local community center to teach children about art appreciation.

Major exhibitions

Pieces of a Dream, group show, 2009, University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida Retrospective, solo show, 2013, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, Florida