Carol McQuaid
Canadian artist Carol McQuaid creates travel-inspired artwork, illustrated books, and live event portraits for weddings and gatherings around the world.
artist | EDUCATOR | AUTHOR
I’m Carol McQuaid, a Canadian artist, traveller, and lifelong sketcher. For more than two decades my work has taken me around the world teaching watercolour and printmaking, filling sketchbooks along the way, and sharing the creative process with others.
Today my work spans travel illustration, studio painting, and live guest portraits at events. I’m most inspired when I’m painting in real time, capturing the atmosphere of a place or the energy of people gathered together.
At its heart, my work is about noticing moments and turning them into something lasting.
CAROL, the artist
My path into art began during design school, where I spent hours producing architectural renderings. The precision required taught me how to really see what was in front of me, and that discipline naturally translated into portraiture.
When my son was born, I began painting him often. Friends and family started asking for portraits of their own children, and what began as a few commissions quickly grew into a steady stream of work. Those early portrait requests became the foundation of my career.
What has stayed with me ever since is the act of observation. Drawing is my way of slowing down and paying attention. Whether I’m sketching a person, a place, or a fleeting moment, the process still feels like a kind of meditation.
the AUTHOR
Many of the sketches and stories from my travels eventually find their way into books. My illustrated vagabond series brings together drawings, notes, and moments collected along the road, turning sketchbooks into published travel journals.
Through these books I share the places I’ve visited, the people I’ve met, and the creative practice of documenting life through drawing. They are part travel diary, part art book, and an invitation for others to see the world a little more closely.
I love the moments where the different parts of my life overlap. One of readers’ favourite features in my travel books is my illustrated packing lists. What began as a playful way to document my travels has become an unexpected precursor to the quick, observational style I now use when painting live portraits at events.
If you’d like to see more of my work or learn about live illustration and commissions, feel free to explore the rest of the site.
the ILLUSTRATED vagabond
Travel has shaped much of my life and work. I’m proudly Canadian, but I spend a good part of the year on the road, teaching, sketching, and collecting stories along the way.
Over the years I’ve been invited to teach watercolour and printmaking workshops on cruise ships, at residencies, and in studios around the world. These experiences have taken me to remarkable places and introduced me to an incredible community of artists, students, and fellow travellers. I’ve painted on all seven continents and in over 80 countries at this point.
Wherever I go, I draw. My sketches become a kind of visual journal, capturing the atmosphere of a place and the small moments that make each journey memorable.
“What began as a CURIOUSITY has evolved into A LIFESTYLE. I’M proud of where I’VE been and even more excited for what’s ahead.
“What began as a curiousity and a hobby has evolved into a lifestyle. I’m proud of where I’ve been and even more excited for what’s ahead.
What sets my work apart isn’t the process—it’s the intention behind it. I take time to understand, explore, and create with purpose at every opportunity.”
