ABOUT

CARA VAN LEUVEN

PAINTING:

During the recession Cara lost, like so many, her job and house. She found salvation in the last of the un-rehabbed lofts in downtown St. Louis. The building was full of artists and art collectors. It was during her time at the beat-up loft that she became a carriage driver and a painter.

 

Growing up showing and jumping horses, Cara found her departure from corporate America to working with horses to be liberating. Not only was her soul calm, her artistic freedoms led her to paint what she loves best — horses. 
 

Since leaving the lofts and moving to a small farm in southern Illinois, Cara's characters have expanded to include dogs, ducks, chickens and people. She creates in series, with each series depicting the key 

elements shaping her life at that time.

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SOCIAL/DESIGN:

Cara's first job, after interning at major newspapers in college and studying abroad through the Alexia Foundation Scholarship, was as a designer for The Albuquerque Journal where she also worked as a writer and photographer. Design opened the doors into the ad agency world. She filled various roles from graphic designer to account + project manager.  

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When social media became a focal point for agencies, Cara noticed a serious short-coming — agencies were neither equipped for keeping up with instant engagement, nor figuring a new element into their budgets. But it was ultimately the lack of connection to their audiences that inspired this company to be created — a solution for businesses and their clients through social media.

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IN GENERAL: 

When she’s not in the saddle competitively jumping or busy creating, Cara can be found in the agility ring with her two border collies. She and her fiance share their recently renovated 1861 farmhouse in Grantfork, Illinois with the borders, two warmblood mares, Henry the cat, three ducks and three really unpleasant geese.