We’re looking forward to introducing you to Carol Schiraldi . Check out our conversation below.
Carol , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
One common misconception about being an artist and fine art photographer is that it all comes down to raw talent. If you approach people and ask about what I do, they often think that it’s simply about having “the eye,” or just pressing a button at the right moment, maybe dabbing some paint on a canvas in the right spots. In reality, there’s so much more involved behind the scenes to what I do. Like many artists working today, I spend a significant amount of time on the business side: working with clients, researching the market, learning new techniques, and consistently promoting my work on social media. It’s not just wind machines and pretty models that make up my time spent in the day. It’s strategy, discipline, and a lot of hard work that most people never see.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Carol from Carol’s Little World thanks for having me. It’s always great to catch up with Bold Journey and share in the excitement of the creatives you profile. I’m a fine art photographer and visual storyteller, passionate about capturing the beauty, mystery, and emotion that often goes unnoticed in everyday life. My work blends artistic vision with technical craft, creating images that invite you into a world that’s both dreamlike and deeply personal.
Carol’s Little World started as a simple blog to document my creative journey, and over time, it has evolved into a space where I share my photography, thoughts on the creative process, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the life of an artist. What makes my work unique is how I fuse traditional photographic techniques with a painterly, almost surreal aesthetic. I’m always chasing light, texture, and mood to tell a deeper story.
Right now, I’m exploring an exciting new series that plays with abstraction and the boundaries between photography and fine art. I’m also expanding into more educational content and sharing insights for emerging artists who want to turn their creativity into a sustainable practice. Whether you’re a fellow creative, a collector, or just someone who enjoys beautiful visuals, I welcome you to step into my little world.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
For a long time, I was a computer programmer, one who was deeply immersed in the tech world, writing code and building systems. That logical, structured part of me served me well for years. It taught me how to think critically, pay attention to detail, and solve complex problems. But that chapter of my life has come to a close. Writing code is no longer who I am, nor is it who I want to be.
Now, I’m embracing a new path. This new journey is one led by creativity, curiosity, and emotional resonance. As a fine art photographer and artist, I’m less interested in building technology and more interested in questioning it and exploring its place in society. I may not write code anymore, but I’m still easily fascinated, and continue to be curious about the digital world, especially the rise of AI and how it’s reshaping our lives. Technology has always been a disruptive force, by nature that’s how it works, so I’m not surprised at the changes we are seeing from new developments, but my role now is not implementing these developments, rather it’s more like a keen observer and guide.
I’m starting a new series that explores the power and presence of AI. This won’t be from a technical perspective and it won’t be generative artwork, but instead will be focused on the impact this new technology has through an artistic lens. I want to explore what technology means to us, how it influences our collective humanity, and where it’s taking us. It’s a shift from logic to meaning, from constructing systems to asking deeper questions. That’s the journey I’m on now.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell her this: Life will take you on many unexpected twists and turns. The path won’t always be clear, and sometimes you’ll question where you’re headed. But if you stay true to yourself, if you stay true to your passions, your instincts, and your inner voice, you will find your way. Trust that your unique journey has value, even when it looks different from everyone else’s. You’re not lost, you’re never lost. You’re just becoming who you were always meant to be.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Social media has a way of distorting things. We live our lives in a fishbowl and sometimes it feels like everything we see online is everything there is to know about someone or something. It tends to amplify certain aspects of who we are while muting others. I’ve been online for a long time, but I’ve always been more of a behind-the-lens person than someone fully in the spotlight. I don’t seek out celebrity and tend to not get caught up in the celebrity factor of what I do. I like to say I don’t have “look at me” syndrome, in that I’ve never wanted to be a social media influencer type, rather I keep to my lane. So in many ways, the public version of me is a curated glimpse of who I am. It’s not false, but it’s incomplete in spots.
There are many facets to each of us, and platforms like social media — or even a well-meaning marketing team — often highlight the parts that are most “marketable.” But that doesn’t always reflect the full, complex, human version of who we really are. I try to keep my presence as authentic as possible, but I also understand that the truest parts of myself often live quietly behind the scenes. You can find the real me in the art I create, in the things I don’t always post, and in the moments I keep just for myself.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Absolutely. As an artist, the goalposts are always moving. When I first started out, all I wanted was to get into a juried show. Once that happened, I set my sights on having a solo exhibition. Then it was being invited to participate in an invitational show. Each milestone felt important, more important than the last. And it was, each were important, but the satisfaction was often fleeting and, at times, you can feel like you are chasing a ghost or going down a rabbit hole without an ending.
What I’ve come to realize is that external validation, while rewarding, doesn’t provide lasting fulfillment. There’s always a “next level,” or a new bar to reach. That’s just the nature of the creative journey. So now, instead of chasing outcomes, I try to stay focused on making work that inspires me, that challenges me, and that feels true to who I am. If people notice and connect with it, that’s a beautiful bonus, but the real reward is in the doing, in the creating, in the discovery itself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carolslittleworld.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolschiraldi/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjschiraldi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSchiraldi
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolsLittleWorld
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@carolslittleworld
- Other: Blog: https://blog.carolslittleworld.com/
Image Credits
All image Carol Schiraldi
