Carol Castor, Artist

Carol Castor, an award winning artist and professional portraitist working in oils and pastels, has a BFA from the University of Oklahoma and studied at the Art Students League of New York. There Castor studied oil portraiture with David Leffel and anatomy with Gustav Rehberger. Additional study has been with Daniel Green of New York, William Reese of Washington, and Arnold Newman of New York.

Born in Oregon and raised in Oklahoma, Castor spent her childhood in Ponca City where she began her fascination with drawing and painting people. In college she earned spending money by painting pastel portraits of fellow students. Continuing her commissioned portraiture on a part time basis, Castor taught art in the Oklahoma Public Schools for five years before turning to painting full time in 1980.

Castor's major commissions include portraits of former governor George Nigh and Mrs. Nigh; renowned Native American wood sculptor Willard Stone; Oklahoma Episcopal Bishop Gerald McAllister and Mrs. McAllister; former heads of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Dr. Stewart Wolf and Dr. Robert Montgomery Bird; Head of Dept. of Surgery, Dr. Rainey Williams; O.U. Interim President and former dean of the College of Law David Swank; Victor Yanchick, Ph.D., Dean of the O.U. College of Pharmacy; Dr. Charles Neer II for Columbia Presbyterian in New York City; Calvin Anthony, CEO National Community Pharmacists Assoc., Alexandria, VA., and the Oklahoma Division of AAUW for creating a banner which won Best Banner at the 1979 National Convention in Albuquerque.

Castor introduced a new line of reproductions named OKLAHOMA PORTRAITS by CAROL CASTOR in 1991. This series of limited edition offset lithographs and notecards derived from original oil paintings depicts the Oklahoma Native American and Oklahoma Cowboy as they are today. The authenticity and accuracy of detail in these paintings are the result of extensive historical research, interviews, and field studies.

In 1998, Castor added anew line entitled THE JOY SERIES which features multi-cultural images of mother and child subjects. The original pastels are in the permanent collection of Craig General Hospital, Vinita, and displayed in the Ruth Joy Birthing Center. THE CHURCHILL ROAD COLLECTION, a series of sacred images, was launched in 1999 with "The Angel of Rosewood."

Castor's work is featured in public and private collections from Texas to New York and Germany. Her portraits hang in the permanent collections of: Craig General Hospital, Vinita; Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City; University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; O.U. College of Pharmacy; the O.U. College of Law; The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, Cottey College, Nevada, Missouri, and Western Heritage Center, Fort Worth. She is featured in the Second Edition of American Artists: A Survey of Leading Contemporaries, and is listed in the current editions of Who's Who in America; in the South and Southwest; in American Women; Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in American Education. She is a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists.

Carol Castor has received numerous civic awards including AAUW Women of Distinction, Vinita Chamber of Commerce Community Service award and Hall of Fame. She currently serves on the board of directors for Craig General Hospital. Castor created the designs for the stained glass windows in St. John's Episcopal Church. She has served as Artist-in-Residence for the Vinita Schools since 1998. She is past President of the Vinnie Ream Cultural Center where she maintains a studio as an artist-in-residence.