Honoring Christmas 2022 Cover Artist Carol Luz

This week’s fun, festive cover art comes to us from Carol Luz, who has certainly been on a roll with three Dan’s Papers covers this year. Here, she discusses the origin of her piece “A Christmas Story,” spending the holidays with her adorable dogs and where to see her work this season.

What is the name of this piece, and what inspired you to paint it?

The name of this piece is “A Christmas Story.” Max and Lucy inspired me to paint this painting. It’s that time of year again, Max and Lucy needed holiday cards, so they posed for me on the green chair reading their favorite Christmas book. I’m seriously thinking about doing a book on “Santa Paws and a Cat Named Rudolph.” The animals need their own Santa.

How did you decide on this painting’s composition, colors and other design details?

I knew I wanted Max and Lucy in a chair reading a book. I put the window behind them to show Santa Paws flying past the moon. The colors I wanted to be cozy and warm, since Max and Lucy are inside snuggled together reading a book. I love how the cat came out.

What do you enjoy most about the painting process?

What I enjoy most about the painting process is the story being told. Love a good story. It must be humorous. That’s the beginning of my process, is to come up with a good story. Then the composition comes together, then the painting, and the painting …

What adventures have your dogs been getting up to lately?

Do you know that I hid their Christmas gifts in a box, covered by other items, in another room? And Judy found them! I turn around, and there she is trotting around in the house squeaking her new toy. She was all proud of herself too. I felt bad I took it away from her. Now she stares up at her stocking on the fireplace. She knows … Elroy just wants snacks.

What do you enjoy most about the holiday season on the East End?

I enjoy all the holiday decorations on the East End. I love that we have a Christmas tree at Rogers Beach, and everyone writes something on a clam shell and hangs it on the tree. Everyone takes a selfie with the tree and posts it to their social media. It’s fun.

Looking back on 2022, what’s something you learned about your art or about yourself as an artist?

Looking back on 2022 something that I learned about myself as an artist is that people like my art and I need to get out there more and show it. I’m planning on doing a bunch of art shows this summer, and I’m hoping to get into the Armonk Outdoor Art Show in September 2023.

Would you like to add any closing thoughts or additional info?

Right now, I have some work on display at the Reboli Center in Stony Brook until the second week of January. For more information, please see my website, carolluzart.com. Happy holidays!

Local artists who believe their art would be a good fit for a Dan’s Papers cover may send high-resolution works to dtaylor@danspapers.com for consideration. If one of your pieces is chosen in the weeks that follow, you’ll be contacted about the confirmation and your Honoring the Cover Artist feature.