Tampa Bay Florida based
Plein Air Pastel Artist and Painter
Willow Wright grew up steeped in creativity, thanks in part to her parents’ design background. Though initially focused on classical piano, she pivoted to art when she realized her passion for visual expression outshone her musical ambitions. Her parents hesitated to support the switch, yet Willow’s determination led her to The School of Visual Arts in New York. From there, she navigated careers in advertising, graphic design, and web development before retiring and returning to painting—her true love. Under the mentorship of Shawn Dell Joyce, she found her stride in pastels, earning awards across Florida for her evocative plein air works.
Today, Willow’s pastel paintings radiate her deep appreciation for nature, capturing the environment’s luminous qualities with each stroke. As Curator of The Galleries at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, she champions a spirit of collaboration and environmental stewardship. Through her art and community involvement, Willow seeks to inspire others toward conservation, believing that nurturing both natural landscapes and creative bonds brings people together for the greater good.
I am moved to capture as much of this amazing place we live in as I can, before it is all gone by our own hands. If we don’t make some serious changes, this could all be gone in less than a century.
I just want to share my awe and appreciation of the beauty of nature! When I sit still and quiet my mind, and just look…. I realize there will never be enough time to learn all that needs to be learned…to capture all that needs to be captured…to paint all that needs to be painted…but it doesn’t really matter. I will do what I can in the time that I have and be content that I have taken an action…that I have made a start.
