Becoming

The Journey

Early Life 

 

I've used creativity to process my inner world for as long as I can remember. Since I was a kid, I have created art as a way to process reality. Over time it evolved into a dream world, where I could escape. Art became a living sanctuary where my inner world could be expressed through shape and meaning. Fueled by dreams, imagination and intuition art allowed me to express complex feelings that I didn't have words for.

 

I grew up in a coastal community in Florida with the ocean being one of my main influences and loves. Appreciation for natural beauty has always led my life. I spent much of my childhood exploring nature and the worlds I imagined through my art. Wonder has always been a source of creativity for me; I'm always in awe of nature and the world.

 

Finding My Path

 

 In 2021, I decided to create an Etsy business, partially inspired by the trend of painted vinyl records, as a means to finally make money from my art. My business skills grew but art became very commercial for me, and I lost my passion. I wanted to create art that felt like it belonged to me. So, a few years later I decided to quit Etsy to pursue art that was full of meaning and soul. 

 

  After deciding to pursue my dreams of being a full-time artist and learning how I could truly live the life I wanted. I knew I had to learn everything I could about social media and how to make an impact. I have always processed the world differently, so it made sense that my path would be alternative.

 

Creation of Sol Grown 

 

(Sol Grown) 

Meaning: 

The name represents dedication to growing, healing and nurturing the soul. While also honoring earth and appreciation for a life spent in nature. 

 

Sol Grown was created to share expression, spread hope and mindfulness. 

 

 I worked on creating Sol Grown throughout my entire undergraduate degree. After graduating, I chose to go all-in on my small business, which has grown into a creative movement focused on radical love, inner peace, and community transformation. My dream is to uplift others by helping people understand their inner world through artistic expression. Since Sol Grown started, it has evolved into such a beautiful, empowering place.

 

What I Stand For

 

Hope and kindness are the answer to the world's biggest issues. Having the hope to dream of a better future inspires the possibility of change. 

 

I earned my degree in Social Entrepreneurship with a track in Arts for Social Change, alongside a minor in Fine Arts and Arts Administration. That means I studied how to build businesses that prioritize people and the planet over profit while learning how to use art as a tool for liberation, wellness, and social justice.  I’m a certified Changemaker through B Lab, the nonprofit behind the global B Corp movement. I completed their sustainability and systems change program, which is rooted in regenerative business practices and hosted out of Switzerland. 

 

 

Creative Process

I'm a multidisciplinary artist. My work spans across many mediums and styles.

 

 I use art as an exploration of myself and the mysteries of the universe. Creation is my connection to the universe, my own spirituality and self-growth. My creative process encompasses more than just how I create physical items. It is a direct reflection of how I live my life and what I believe in. My art is a mirror to my inner world and my way to process reality. 

 

My art comes from an intuitive space in my subconscious mind, a space where preverbal thoughts find form. Rather than planning and imposing structure when I begin making art, I use automatic drawing techniques to use art as meditation. I often begin my process with layers of seemingly random textures and shapes and then transform them into imagery. I let my hands move faster than my head and submit to the process of art instead of controlling where it goes.

 

The imagery in the beginning of my process often reflects universal organic shapes and systems that I notice around me and within the universe. My own emotions often come out in this process through subconscious exploration. Art becomes a conversation with both my subconscious mind and the unknown. I like to manipulate and work using mistakes and discoveries to guide my process. My process reflects the art of transformation allowing something new to emerge as a living creation.

 

When creating I have no clear end point, I just continue to play and manipulate the piece continuously evolving. I make artistic choices based on emotional resonance rather than congruent imagery. Allowing myself to make free artistic choices is a radical act of self-return. Through every brushstroke, line or mark I am in conversation with something larger than myself. My art is living because it's a collection of my lived experiences and my exploration of higher consciousness. Once my work is finished it becomes alive.

 

Art allows me to hold the contradictions of life inside of myself and in my work. It allows me to capture a small moment in the vastness we exist in. It not only allows me to transmute my pain, my beauty, my joy and sorrow but keep it alive forever, rooted in our shared humanity. Art allows me to understand within the chaos there is beauty. Art is my dedication to softness and beauty as a rebellion against this harsh world.

Philosophy & Intent

Artistic Philosophy

My artistic philosophy is rooted in radical honesty, emotional clarity, and a belief in creative expression as a tool for social healing. I don't view art as a commodity but as a living transmission of the human experience and a catalyst for creating change. 

Art connects us on a soul level; it is our universal language. It’s a reminder that we are not alone, that there is beauty even within chaos. I believe that art can hold duality without conflict allowing coexistence of softness and strength. I believe that vulnerability is not a weakness, but a source of power and that art is a bridge between personal healing and collective awakening.

 

Intent

True impact begins within. My intent is to create a safe space for others to express themselves through my work, my words, and the energy behind them. By making my art a space for reflection and internal growth, I hope to show that there is a more hopeful, magical way of life. Through Sol Grown and everything I create, I want to offer something different: not just art, but refuge. A glimpse into a kinder, more luminous world. I want people to feel something, seen, safe, inspired to love themselves. A world where creativity, soul, and justice aren’t separate, but intertwined.

 

Art as Resistance & Hope

I believe art can be a catalyst for social change and a move message across the world. I believe that creativity is a portal for transformation and a mirror for the soul.  In a seemingly unfeeling world art reminds us of that life, in all its contradictions, is worth feeling fully.

 

Chloe Carlin - Founder of Sol Grown 

Sol Grown a Soul-Driven Artist Brand

In creating art and this brand, I asked myself what is the change I would like to see and how can I make it happen? My goal is to create a brand that makes you feel, with art that resonates with your soul. It’s focused on uplifting and supporting others through radical kindness and acceptance.

The world needs some kindness, and everyone needs a safe space. I hope to continue to evolve Sol Grown into something more than myself, something that can be a tool for change.