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Carol was born on July 27, 1943 on the island of Kauai, then a United States territory. Her early years were idyllic, living amid lush gardens, swimming at the beach down the street, sliding down moss-covered rocks into waterfall pools, and riding horses.
Perhaps first inspired by her beautiful surroundings, Carol began drawing at the age of two. She drew so frequently that her parents bought her a sketch pad when she was four. She continued her self-taught artistic pursuits, which later included painting, throughout her life.
Growing up, Carol never stayed in one place for long. She attended Kauai’s Kapaa Schools before her family moved to a walnut ranch in Napa Valley. From there the family moved to Mexico, back to the States to Santa Barbara where Carol attended Santa Barbara High School, participating in the school’s drama club. The family then moved to Puerto Rico. Carol graduated from the Liceo Ponceno, where she had spent many hours practicing for the school’s speech club. She then attended the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan for two years, ultimately completing her degree in interior design and architectural drawing at American University in Washington, D.C., in 1965.
A fiend for detail, Carol was quickly hired as a draftsperson\interior design illustrator for several large interior design houses in New York. The work was exciting but extremely demanding with exacting deadlines and numerous revisions. She took a hiatus and moved to San Cristobal, Venezuela, where her mom and dad lived. There she taught English as a second language for more than two years.
Carol returned to New York in 1976 to continue her interior design work with the Melville Corp., preparing interior layouts for retail stores. It was at this time Carol’s painting took off. She found it an escape from the rigors of her job. Ultimately, looking for a change of pace, she stepped away from her demanding role and went to work for BOCES, New York’s state educational board, performing office and administrative duties until she retired in 2011.
Carol loved her home in Mt. Kisco, surrounded by a forest she enjoyed viewing from her second story balcony. She loved to sketch the nature around her as well as her two cats, Chase and Lilly. Carol lived across the hall from her sister Brenda. The sisters enjoyed going to the movies, art exhibits, and trips to visit family on both coasts until Brenda passed away in early 2020. Unfortunately Carol’s asthma worsened rather quickly the following year. She was in and out of hospitals and pulmonary rehab facilities until she passed away in 2022.
Carol is survived by her sister Tammy Renault (Philippe), nieces Remy Renault, Tracy Cairo (Rich) and Kelly Rubicam (Peter), nephew Jean-Luc Renault (Jessica), grand-nephew Luc and grand-niece Elise.
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