Carolyn grew up in Galesburg, Illinois, where she learned to explore, create, dance, and laugh. The rebellious daughter of two teachers, Carolyn was taught the importance to always keep seeking new information and adventure. Carolyn's artistic talents became evident in art class, ballet, and at her first job in landscaping and floral design.
In third grade, Carolyn filled out a worksheet titled "what will your life be like when you are thirty years old." At the time, Carolyn predicted that she would live in Alaska, where she could see whales from her house, and have a job where she didn't do the same thing every day. What then was seen as a childish dream would later come to be an accurate prediction.
When looking at colleges, Carolyn was given a four hour driving distance limit. At three hours and fifty minutes of a drive, Carolyn chose to attend Iowa State University, where she studied Landscape Architecture. During her five years there, she managed to get her degree, travel around the country and the world, and pick up minors in American History and Culture Anthropology.
After college, Carolyn bounced around a bit, working in a kindergarten classroom and as an intern for road construction before finally finding her calling in advocacy, crisis intervention, and mental health. Carolyn spent two years in the domestic peace corps working with inner city, at risk youth at a community center in Chicago focused on helping young people separate their lives from gangs.
Knowing she wanted to do more to help others, Carolyn focused her career in mental health, moved back to Galesburg, and become a licensed CSS/MHP. During her five years back in her hometown, Carolyn bought and renovated her first house, started a business for sugar cookie art, fostered and worked with abused/special needs animals, and became a well known activist for teachers, schools, and discrimination. Carolyn served as a commissioner on Galesburg's community relations and discrimination commissioner and helped start up a community garden non profit organization. Much to her delight, Carolyn also got to spend a great deal of time with friends and family, and have an active role in her nieces and nephews lives.
In June of 2016, just weeks before her 30th birthday, Carolyn was recruited by a large hospital group out west. Struck by the impulse for adventure, she interviewed and accepted a case management position in Kodiak, Alaska, that would also allow her to further her education. Within a month, Carolyn packed what she could fit in her car, sold everything that didn't fit, and put her house up for sale.
Kodiak is an island south of the mainland of Alaska. The current population is around 16,000, and includes several tribal villages, a military base, two harbors, and town. Kodiak can be seen on occasion on several different television shows, including Alaska State Troopers, Deadliest Catch, and Catfish. Kodiak is home to a great number of animal species, including puffins, sea otters, sea lions, eagles, salmon, halibut, big horn sheep, black tail deer, and kodiak grizzly bears. Moose, however, are not found on the island (mostly because the bears ate them all).
When Carolyn left Illinois, a few of her father's friends placed a bet on how long she would last, with the longest guess being three months. While they underestimated her adaptability, Carolyn quickly acclimated to her new island surroundings, learning to fish, taking up hiking, and finding her newest favorite thing to do- beach comb! Putting her creative skill to good use, she quickly started designing jewelry with the sea glass and stones she discovered.
Carolyn is loving her new adventure (although she's poked more fish with her hands than shes caught with her fishing pole). She spends her free time making friends, hiking, practicing photography, talking herself into going home rather than staying out to watch the northern lights for just five more minutes, painting, and joining in local festivals.
Much to the delight of her third grade self, Carolyn and her mischievous three legged cat, Owen, often see a variety of wildlife, including whales, from their living room couch.
You can follow Carolyn's adventures on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/cynhawes
Or on facebook at: www.facebook.com/CynElizabethStudios
To stay in touch by email: CynElizabethStudios [!at] gmail.com
