Originally self-taught in charcoal with an emphasis on still life, Carolyn Kleinberger spent years developing her artistic voice, drawn particularly to the challenge of capturing the light, movement, and reflections emanating from crystal and fine glass. As her practice evolved to include oils and mixed media, she sought deeper artistic training to further refine her skills.

Though Carolyn had long nurtured a passion for painting and drawing, it was following her retirement in 2001 from a 21-year career as a public defender in Juvenile and Family Court for Ramsey and Washington Counties that she began pursuing art more intentionally. 

Encouraged by her family, she began formal training at the Edina Art School in 2008. In 2009, she was accepted into The Atelier in Minneapolis, where she spent four years studying the rigorous Atelier method of realism under the direction of Cyd Wicker and Dale Redpath.

Carolyn works in what she describes as an “imaginative realism” style, bringing a personal and interpretive approach to traditional subjects including landscapes, figurative works, still lifes, florals, and the occasional pet portrait. Her work is inspired by her travels, the people she has encountered, an interest in differing religious beliefs, and a desire to capture the movement, beauty, and changing qualities of light, particularly in water and glass.

Carolyn’s commissioned works include portraits, pet portraits, farmhouses, and historic buildings. Notable bodies of work include The Ten Plagues, Strong Women in the Bible, Water and Sand: Forging a Nation, and The Power of Water. She has participated in numerous juried and non-juried exhibitions, and her work is exhibited regularly.

Carolyn’s studio is located in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she continues to paint and exhibit her work.

I have always been drawn to the quiet act of observing. Painting allows me to slow down, study the world around me, and express the beauty I find in light, color, and everyday moments.

- Carolyn Kleinberger