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Meet Candi

A Lifetime of Pursuing and nurturing creativity

Who is Candi Carrell? She is a native Tucsonian, a retired art teacher of 26 years, and a 3D Multi Media Artist. She enjoys life with an upbeat I’ve got this; let’s pull up my big girl panties attitude!! She has had an immense passion for clay since the 70s and has continued up to the present day creating quirky one-of-a-kind art pieces hoping to cause a giggle or gasp.

The idea of mixing media together was incredibly intriguing so in 2004 she started using found objects such as clocks, bird cages, guitars, dolls, skeletons, miniature items, tiles, hearts, wings, beads, etc. which lead to her creating whimsical, sometimes creepy, and definitely on-the-edge art.

In 2020, clay met welding, and WOW, it was love at first weld for her. Learning to weld meant being able to use everyday metal objects and the ability to create even larger pieces for Burning Man in 2022.

Candi has gifted art to the BM community since 2013 and it has become one of her greatest loves. Her continual creation of smaller pieces shown in galleries, art shows, and at Comic Cons have helped her fund larger pieces that push the boundaries of her imagination to move ever forward.

Headshot of woman with bright orange/red hair, bold earrings, a small nose piercing and dark-rimmed cat-eye glasses smiling broadly at the camera
Onward to Nod- welded metal and found metal objects to resemble a bug parade on bicycles -closer view
Onward to Nod- welded metal and found metal objects to resemble a bug parade on bicycles - back view closer

Artist Statement

My work comes from my life experiences, my interests, my travels, and being raised in the Sonoran desert. The amazing southwestern influence of so many cultures melted together helped me appreciate vibrant colors, puppets, mosaics, murals, metal art, and symbols, especially the art honoring the dead in Mexico (Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Dead).

My love of Halloween is also a great influence along with all the science fiction/monster B movies I have watched that helped contribute to my whimsical, sometimes creepy, take on life.

Claim to Fame

or Art Stuff I have done and am still doing by myself or with people:

  • 26 years teaching preschool, elementary, and junior high art and education to the Tucson Community
  • Recently a teacher and Craft Shop Manager at Xerocraft (Makers Space in Tucson) for 5 years during their WTF(Women, Trans & Femms) night
  • 45 years as a face and body painter as half of Quasimodo’s Sisters
  • 11 years face painting for Nightfall at Old Tucson
  • Various painted murals around town over the years painted on windows, walls, and metal storage containers
  • 1600 square foot mosaic mural for Bens Bells created by the community of Borton Magnet School
  • St. Mark’s Preschool/Community Share tree mural created by students and teachers and installed at The Tucson Botanical Garden in the children’s area
close up detail of mosaic for bench prior to installation - flowing rainbow, dancing skeleton, butterflies, flowers and swirls
Skeleton Bench – Bens Bells Annual Auction – Designed and built by Candi Carrell and Anna Kolb.
Woman wearing a blck short sleeve shirt and black slacks smiling broadly with 20 of her bird cage sculptures in various sizes in front of her.
Candi Carrell and her collection of birdcage altars honoring her loved ones
  • All Souls Procession – Tucson-8 foot puppet and birdcage altar display most years
  • 50 years vending handmade one-of-a-kind clay, upcycled Halloween/doll parts, jewelry, and recently, welded metal sculptures at various art shows such as 4th Avenue Street Fair, Dark Markets/Oddity markets, and Comic Cons located in California, Arizona (mostly Tucson), and Kansas
  • A presenting Artist for Burning Man since 2013
  • A yearly presenting artist for GLOW at Triangle L Ranch in Oracle, Arizona