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John Carollo to teach Watercolor Workshop at Crealde School of Art in Fall 2025

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo will be teaching a one-day Watercolor Workshop at Crealde School of Art on September 21, 2025. Titled “Collaborating with Watercolor,” the class will focus on how the watercolor medium can often have a mind of its own and a tendency to assert its independence at every opportunity, but rather than fight with it, a collaborative approach where both artist and paint share control helps unlock unique atmospheric and transparency effects. Through demonstrations and discussion, students will discover the surprising, therapeutic results they can achieve by letting the flow of the paint take the lead.

The theme of the workshop was inspired by how often John hears comments from people about how “hard,” “unforgiving,” and “frustrating” the medium can be, cleverly summed up in the famous response to a question by Impressionist artist Edgar Degas:

…when asked by a woman what kind of watercolors she should buy her son, his reply was that she would be safer buying the child a revolver.

Following the lead of the flowing paint, an approach John uses extensively in his distinctive Controlled Chaos painting style, can be freeing, therapeutic, and a lot of fun. Students will be encouraged to try new techniques and develop their own through trial and error which may open possibilities they may not have previously considered.

Click here to learn more and reserve a spot.

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The First of John Carollo’s Public Art Traffic Boxes is Now Installed in Orlando

After an over three-year process, in partnership with Orange County and Lee Road Safe Neighborhood, the first of two designs created by artist John Carollo to add roadside beautification to traffic control boxes in the area is now installed. Located at the intersection of Lee Rd. and Diplomat Circle, in North Orlando, just outside the boundary of the City of Winter Park, FL, the design is a composite image, created by the artist, based on his 13 x 16 foot hand-painted silk and aluminum sculpture, Icarus Ascends.

The vibrant colors really help to enhance what was a pretty bleak intersection and John is always pleased to add a bit of color and beauty to the world wherever he can. A second box created by the artist, featuring entirely different artwork, will be coming to another main entrance to Winter Park on another major road nearby in the future.

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Monthly Sip and Shop Events

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL – Artist John Carollo’s Gallery Shop (Booth A17) will be part of the monthly Sip & Shop taking place at The Mercantile, from 4-7pm, the first Thursday of every month. John will be present meeting people and discussing the new work in his shop during this fun event, which includes two complimentary drinks per visitor.

The Mercantile is located at 1260 E Altamonte Dr, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

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John Carollo Introduces Art Magnets to his Gallery Shop

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo has recently added magnetic prints of some of his better-known paintings to his Gallery Shop, Booth A17 at The Mercantile in the Greater Orlando area of Altamonte Springs.

Of similar quality to art magnets available from museum gift shops, the initial batch includes 2″x3″ reproductions of the pieces Dance Study I, Eye of the Storm, and Lake Eola – Rain, all of which where showcased in local media in the past. More prints of other pieces will be added in the future.

These magnets are a fun, inexpensive way to add a bit of Carollo’s distinctive Controlled Chaos artistic flair to any metal surface, and also make a great gift.

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John Carollo Reveals “Fragmentation” Series of New Work

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo recently introduced his new series or watercolor collage artwork entitled “Fragmentation.” Based on the idea that sometimes, unexpected events will cause life to explode and fragment in ways we never anticipated. However, beauty can be found in the pieces as we work to reassemble them into a new version of our lives.

The concept is presented in a series of work through paintings  which are completed, deconstructed, and then, from the pieces, reformed into dynamic new compositions. The raised, attached collage pieces create interesting shadows, reminiscent of Carollo’s previous 3D constructions.

On display in the artist’s new Gallery Shop – Booth A17 at The Mercantile in the Greater Orlando area of Altamonte Springs, Florida, the seven initial pieces in the series are all available for purchase. 

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John Carollo in Holiday Studio Stroll Art Event

MAITLAND, FL – Artist John Carollo will be participating in the Art and History Museums – Maitland (AHM-M) Holiday Studio Stroll on December 8, 2023, from 6:30-8:30PM. The event will feature live seasonal music and a cash bar, and guests are encouraged to bring a blanket and picnic to share with friends as they stroll the beautiful, historic grounds and tour the open artist studios.

Carollo, largely known for his abstract watercolor paintings and silk/aluminum sculptures, decided to rekindle his long-lost love of printmaking in 2023, and participated in a linocut class offered by the Maitland Art Center (part of the AHM-M complex) early in the year. As such, he will be showing new linocut work developed over the past few months as one of 11 students displaying their art for sale during the event. Four print series will be presented – “Share Your Holidays” seasonal cards/envelopes with a whimsical cat/mouse theme, “Ascending I and II,” two vertically-oriented, monotone prints based on the artist’s previous sculptural collaboration with Marsha De Broske entitled “Ascending to Light,” and “Maitland Cat Center I”, the first in a series of pieces that put a feline twist on the famed Andre Smith reliefs which embellish the architecture of the National Register of Historic Places-certified Maitland Art Center.

More information about the event, the Art and History Museums – Maitland, and free RSVP tickets for the evening can be found at artandhistory.org/holiday-studio-show

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John Carollo Selected for Boynton Beach Artist Roster

WINTER PARK, FL – Artist John Carollo has been selected by the City of Boynton Beach Art Advisory Board as one of fourteen artists from the state of Florida for inclusion in the City’s Public Art Artist Roster. This roster is made available to the development community commissioning new public art as well as the City of Boynton Beach public art staff for its upcoming public projects. More information about the City’s programs and commitment to the arts can be found here https://www.boynton-beach.org/public-art

In a similar move, John was selected to be part of the City of Sarasota Office of Public Art’s Regional Artist Database in 2021. Much like the program in Boynton Beach, this selected pool of artists is recommended to developers who meet the public art requirement for the City’s Public Art Program. More information can be found here https://www.sarasotafl.gov/our-city/public-art

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John Carollo Painting Demonstration at Orlando Winter Fringe Mini-Festival

ORLANDO, FL – Abstract watercolor artist John Carollo will present a live painting demonstration showcasing his unique Controlled Chaos style at the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival Winter Mini-Fringe from 6pm-11pm on Friday, January 5, 2018. 

Located in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803, the Mini-Fest is a compact version of the larger theatrical festival, which is produced for two weeks each May. 

Three of John’s original paintings, Mood Indigo, No Exit and Aqua will be displayed and available for purchase during the duration of the festival, January 3-7, 2018, and a select number of additional works will be available during the artist demonstration. 

Learn more about John Carollo and his artwork at nakedeyestudios.com

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Welcome Back nakedeyestudios.com!

We’re back!

The prior version of the Naked Eye Studios™ website (circa 2008), home of graphic design service information and the artwork of abstract watercolor artist John Carollo  suffered a technical failure when the vendor who hosted the slideshows containing most of the site’s imagery went out of business. A placeholder site, www.artistjohncarollo.com has been in place to handle artwork inquiries while the main site went through a complete rebuild.

Due to a cray cray craaazy schedule of late, the rebuild got pushed to the back burner, but is now finally here!

MORE images! MORE information! MORE mobile and device-friendly! MORE social media-friendly!

and MORE to come with future content updates.

Thanks for your patience! Please contact us with any questions or comments.

 

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Naked Eye Studios® Etsy Shop Updated

Artist John Carollo brings his distinctive Controlled Chaos painting style to two different mediums – fired ceramics and 100% pure silk.

Now available in the Naked Eye Studios Etsy Shop are hand-painted ceramic items. A flurry of energy and color swirls around these pieces, which are glazed, dishwasher safe, fired ceramic – suitable for food/serving use, or great for adding some artistry to a wall or shelf display.

Also just added to the shop are dynamic hand-painted 100% silk habotai scarves. Available in several sizes, including large enough to be a small shoulder wrap, these flowing accessories feature rich, beautiful translucent color.

John Carollo’s distinctive Controlled Chaos painting style combines beautifully with the smoothly rippling nature of real silk. These scarves are one-of-a-kind, original creations that can provide an unusual and unique splash of color and style to any outfit. Truly wearable art from an established artist, the colors combine in flowing and unusual blends and fades, projecting a varied and ever-changing appearance depending on how the scarf is worn or draped.

Not leaving traditional watercolor behind, numerous original paintings are now displayed in the shop, as well as a signed, first edition copy of John’s coffee table book – Liquid Thoughts: The Watercolors of John Carollo. The 11×8.5″ volume features 21 pages of full-color photos of John’s work, ranging from 2D figures and nature scenes to large 3D mixed-media and silk sculptures. Makes a great gift or addition to your own library.