About Carol May the Painting Artist

Here you’ll find step‑by‑step tutorials, simple explanations of the art fundamentals, and lots of encouragement to help you learn to paint.

The internet reaches the world.

So, wherever you live, you can become the creative artist of your dreams.

You can always read more about the artist Carol May here on this page.

If you’re eager to start learning, you can jump straight into my Painting Tutorials and the Learn How to Paint page from here as well.

One of my early paintings.

Later I minored in art and majored in horticulture at the University of California, but after college my art was set aside for a while.

My mother took up painting after she retired. One of her teachers was Bill Alexander, who was Bob Ross's mentor.

She became a certified teacher just like Bob Ross, and began teaching art classes.

She also gave me private painting lessons. My first paintings were mountains and landscapes.

The joy of learning to paint.

So, I kept practicing my mother's lessons:

• The essential painting materials.
• How to create a pleasing composition.
• The basics of mixing colors.

You can learn these same basics on How to Get into Painting.

My art supplies were kept in a fishing tackle box, and I painted on a portable easel in the living room.

Walter Foster art books gave me ideas, like you see in this photo. Painting in the 1970s from one of his books.

A pelican posing for his portrait

Now living in Florida, my paintings changed from mountains to the local plants and animals.

Artists do their best paintings of things we see around us.

The Florida birds and flowers amazed me.

I painted so many pelicans that after a while I vowed, "No more pelicans!"

Well, that lasted for a while.

Where can we get more Ideas for Painting?

"Country Barns"

It was the first time I had ever seen the beautiful fall colors of New England.

That was awesome!

"Country Barns" has been honored with Best of Show awards in two different shows.

It has been a joy and a privilege to have my work recognized in this way.

If you’re curious about what makes an award‑winning painting, I explain some of the key principles I used in “Country Barns” on my Principles of Art page.

We paint what we love.

I have always had a love for nature that shines through in my paintings.

My first artwork focused on landscapes.

Over time, some of my favorite subjects have become birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, dolphins, giraffes, and many other critters.

I also enjoy painting flowers, often with a butterfly or hummingbird included as a focal point.

These subjects allow me to capture both the delicate details of nature and wonders of life.

I also paint prophetic art - paintings that express faith, hope, and God’s heart through imagery. 

My favorite Florida painting

I started out teaching the Bill Alexander (Bob Ross) method of oil painting in Florida. When I moved into watercolor, people began asking me to teach that as well. Over time, I’ve developed many lessons that explain:

• The basics of oils and watercolor 
• How to control values, color, composition, and focal points. 
• How to build a painting step by step from start to finish.

On this site, you’ll find over 30 step‑by‑step Painting Tutorials, plus pages on Principles of Art, Composition, Focal Points, Values, and several pages about using color.

My goal is to make painting approachable, even if you’ve never picked up a brush before. Here are a few good teaching pages you may enjoy:

Painting art is fun!

• You’ve always wanted to paint but don’t know where to start. 
• You used to paint years ago and want to begin again. 
• You love nature, animals, or prophetic art and want to express that through painting. 
• You prefer to learn quietly at home, at your own pace, instead of in a local class. 

If any of those sounds like you, then yes - this is the right place.

My teaching is especially designed for beginners and budding artists who need clear steps, gentle encouragement, and practical tips.

I remember what it felt like to be new to painting, and I enjoy walking alongside you as you grow.

Bottlenose dolphins, "Born Free"

• New to painting? Start with Learn How to Paint (Beginner’s Path) for an overview and gentle first steps. 
• Want to jump straight into a fun project? Try How to Paint Watercolor, a step‑by‑step Koi Angelfish tutorial that teaches the three basic watercolor techniques. 
• Curious about what makes a strong painting? Visit How to Paint Good Art. It has practice exercises on composition, color, and values. 
• Love nature and animals? Explore my gallery pages. The Beautiful Nature Paintings page is a good place to start. 
• Interested in collecting or decorating? Visit my pages for Original Paintings by Carol May, Art Prints for Sale by the Artist Carol May, and Fun Stuff with Painting Art by Carol May. 

These pages will give you both inspiration and practical instruction so you can keep growing as an artist.

Painting the wonders!

Over the years I’ve enjoyed:

• Teaching aspiring painters in person and online. 
• Showing my work in galleries and at fine art festivals in Florida. 
• Being part of a wonderful art co‑op, Island Arts in Cedar Key, Florida. 
• Meeting many people who were encouraged to start painting through my work.

I’m thankful for every student and viewer who visits this site.

My prayer is that you’ll discover the joy of painting and see God’s beautiful creations with fresh eyes.