An Interview with Caroline Freese

Growing up, Caroline Freese’s life centered around farming and animals. Her dad worked as a veterinarian and her mom was an agriculture journalist. After school, Caroline would be dropped off at her dad’s vet clinic and would clean the clinic and play with the animals. Caroline was a member of 4-H and showed animals at the county fair.

Her farming past is channeled into her art through illustrations of animals and outdoor scenes. Caroline creates ceramics, greeting cards, custom pet portraits, and more. Her Etsy page is filled with wild animals and positive reviews

Photo Courtesy of Caroline Freese

She enrolled at Iowa State University in Ames as an undecided major and found her way to a fine arts major. While taking classes, she found herself drawn to ceramics and 3D art.

“If I hadn’t gone Iowa State there's a very good chance, I wouldn’t have ended up doing what I’m doing now,” said Caroline, “It came about from how the program is set up at Iowa State like they make you take all the different mediums and I didn’t even know I liked ceramics until I took the class.”

After graduation, Caroline traveled across the country and eventually found her way back to Ames. There she found a co-op where she worked alongside fellow artists. Caroline balanced working part-time and creating art until the COVID-19 pandemic started and she was no longer able to work.

Caroline took her unemployment and invested in herself and her business. She converted an old hog building on her parents’ farm into an art studio.

In Ames, Caroline found a vibrant and exciting art scene and hoped to bring that environment to her hometown of Indianola. In April of this year, she hosted an event celebrating the opening of her studio and welcomed people from the community to gather and see her art. Caroline plans for more events in the future and is currently organizing a Halloween craft event. She hopes to invest in her community and enrich it with her studio.

While most people don’t think of Iowa for its renowned art scene, it shouldn’t be counted out. With a low cost of living, the ability to make a living on creating is much easier compared to other areas of the country.

Caroline is working to inspire other young artists by speaking at her alma mater and seeking out interns to learn from her. She believes in the importance of sharing knowledge and uplifting fellow creatives.

“If you want to be an artist and you really like an artist and what they are doing, just contact them. Propose an internship to them and see what they think, it never hurts to ask.”

Photo Courtesy of Caroline Freese