January 16 – March 29, 2026
Opening reception: January 16, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Artist talk: 6:30 p.m.
Art is my voice—a visceral and urgent response to the decisions we make and their lasting impact on the environment. As both an artist and an active participant in environmental preservation, I refuse to be a passive observer. My large-scale abstract oil paintings serve as visual narratives, compelling viewers to confront the consequences of human choices—from climate change and decaying infrastructure to social and political injustices.
Drawing inspiration from Anselm Kiefer, Mark Rothko, Joan Eardley, and J.M.W. Turner, my work employs bold color, layered textures, and dynamic compositions to reflect on pressing issues such as drought, toxic ponds, wildfires, fracking, hurricanes, and industrial decay. I work in oils on canvas, preferring a flat surface for my hands-on, textured applications. My process incorporates Neo Megilp medium, paper towels, and kitchen trowels, creating depth and movement in my imagery. The completed canvases are often multi-panel constructions, adaptable for museum installations that demand audience interaction.
My work is a call to action—an artistic alarm for societal, environmental, and political awareness. The decisions we make today affect the survival of our planet, whether through agricultural practices, industrial expansion, or political agendas. I seek to challenge biases, question misinformation, and expose the destruction caused by unregulated industries. My paintings are beacons of awareness, urging viewers—especially corporations and international institutions—to engage in meaningful reflection and to champion change.
A Montana native, I have spent decades studying and depicting environmental shifts. My background in Aesthetics, Criticism, and Gallery Management, as well as my tenure as a Gallery Director at CSU Sacramento and CSU Fresno, has deepened my understanding of art’s role in shaping cultural discourse. Recognized as ART SAN DIEGO’s “Spotlight Artist” in 2023, and featured in WORLD OF ART Guggenheim, my work has been exhibited at the Florence Biennale, the Chicago Art Institute, and in leading contemporary art publications.
Through my art, I strive to ignite conversation, influence policy, and advocate for a more sustainable future. My mission is clear: to ensure that art serves as both witness and catalyst for change in a world at a critical crossroads.
Born in rural Montana, Carol Hartman’s art is deeply rooted in her environment and the decisions that shape our world. She earned a BA from Montana State University Bozeman and an MA from California State University, Fresno, leading to a career that spans over twenty years of artistic exploration. Her early work focused on interactive electronic installations addressing bias and prejudice, which were exhibited nationwide, including at the Chicago Art Institute, and across Washington D.C., Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, California and New York.
Hartman’s career extends beyond her artistic practice; she has served as Gallery Director at California State University Sacramento and Fresno, and taught Aesthetics and Criticism, as well as Gallery Management, sharing her expertise with the next generation of artists.
Today, Hartman’s large-scale oil paintings continue her critical engagement with contemporary issues, shifting focus to the environmental consequences of human actions. Her work captures climate change’s visible effects, from drought and toxic ponds to wildfires, fracking, hurricanes, and the decay of infrastructure. Using a unique, hands-on technique, she applies bold layers of color to canvas, manipulating her compositions with Neo Megilp medium, paper towels, and kitchen trowels to create richly textured, immersive pieces.
Influenced by Anselm Kiefer, Mark Rothko, Joan Eardley, and J.M.W. Turner, her style has earned her international recognition, including being named ART SAN DIEGO’s “Spotlight Artist” in 2023 and a feature in WORLD OF ART Guggenheim. She has exhibited at the Florence Biennale and has been published in INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY MASTERS. Her participation with the Royal College of Art in London in 2023 further refined her artistic direction.
Hartman’s large abstract paintings serve as a call to action, engaging corporations and international museums to reflect on societal responsibility and the urgency of protecting the environment. Her mission is to ignite dialogue, challenge perspectives, and inspire meaningful change through the transformative power of art.
“Additional support from coal tax placed into Montana’s Cultural and Aesthetic Projects Trust Fund.”
