About
Carolyn Tillie is a culinary historian, artist, and curator. With an MFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from CSULB, she also obtained a Certified Master Chef certificate from Epicurean school in Los Angeles, and Level Two certification from the Wine Spirit Education Trust. Combining gastronomic and artistic passions, she specializes in food-themed jewelry and artwork, as well as co-founding the Bay Area Culinary Historians. After the publication of her first book, Oysters, A Global History, she curated several exhibitions in conjunction with the release of her second book, A Feast for the Eyes: Edible Art from Apple to Zucchini. In 2023 she staged her first solo exhibition in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mixed Emotions.
Carolyn is a true Renaissance woman. Along with continuing to create and exhibiting artwork, she is simultaneously working on two culinary biographies: Henri Soulé, the creator of the first and most influential French restaurant in America, New York’s Le Pavilion, and the Victorian mage, mountaineer, and chess maven, Aleister Crowley.
Curriculum Vitae
PUBLISHED WRITINGS
Atlas Obscura, The Decadent Diet of Aleister Crowley, 2023
Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery, Portable Food: Food away from the Table, “Traveling Silver for Those Not to the Manor Born: Old Sheffield Plate and Electroplated Silver in Travel Equipage and Cutlery, from 1730 to the Belle Epoque” — Prospect Books, 2022
Gastronomica, The Journal for Food Studies, “Mixed Emotions” Cutting and Pasting through Loss, Detritus, and Forced Isolation During COVID-19” — Vol. 21, No. 3: Fall, 2019
A Feast for the Eyes – Food Art from Apple to Zucchini, Reaktion Press, 2019
Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery, Food & Power, “The Shared Power of Hunger Artists and the Viennese Aktionists” — Prospect Books, 2019
Oysters, A Global History, Reaktion Press, 2017
Metalsmith Magazine, “Good Enough to Eat: Explorations in Food Jewelry” – Volume 38, No. 4, 2018.
Metalsmith Magazine, “Suzanne Pugh: Post Pastoralia” – exhibition review, 2017
Metal Arts Guild History, “History of Metal Arts Guild,” 2013
Wines & Vines, “Track Sales & Depletions with Winery-Specific Software,” 2009
Enterprising Women, The Magazine for Women Business Owners– cover story, “Women Make Wine,” 2008
Hugh Johnsons’ World of Fine Wines magazine – “2006 Harvest Report,” and “California scheming: Mondavi changes hands,” 2007
Wine Business Monthly – multiple articles, 2006
Napa Register – multiple articles, 2004-2006
Gault Millau and Gayot.com – restaurant reviews, 2004-2006
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
Arm Candy – ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California. June 25 to July 16, 2019
Feast Your Eyes – Root Division, San Francisco, California. April 3 to April 19, 2019
Reflections of the New Aeon – Gallery Eleven Seven, Long Beach, California. 2001
EXHIBITION RECORD
2024
Mixed Emotions, Part Deux, Urban Ore, Berkeley, California
Say What, Covet Art Gallery, Oceanside, California
2023
Food For Thought, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, Maryland
Life, Love, Death - Art Collide, Online Exhibition
A Taste for Art – Sacramento Center for the Arts, Sacramento California
Mixing it up with Mixed Media - Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA
Bits + Pieces: Contemporary Art on a Small Scale — Bedford Gallery; Walnut Creek, California
Textures & Contrasts — Coastal Art League; Half Moon Bay, California
Delectable: Art of the Edible — Spiva Center for the Arts; Joplin, Missouri
Delicious: Work Inspired by Food & Drink — Studio Gallery; San Francisco, California
Food Story International, Exhibition and Publication — Gallerium Art Exhibitions; Toronto, Ontario
Delicious - a feast for your eyes — ArtWorksDowntown; San Rafael, CA
Un-Loveable — ShockBoxx Gallery; Hermosa, CA
Mixed Emotions, A Culinary Art Installation (Solo Exhibition) — ACCI Gallery; Berkeley, California
2022
BOUND: The Art of the Book — ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California
Delicious: Work Inspired by Food & Drink — STUDIO: Gallery; San Francisco, CA
2021
The Table Setting Project, Composing the Future — NCWCA Group Exhibit, Bankhead Theatre, Livermore, California
In the Presence of Pomegranates — ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California
2020
50x50 — Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California
Waste Not, Want Not — ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California
Food Frenzy — Camelback Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona (Merit Award Recipient)
2018
BITEme – Black Earth Gallery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2017
The Food Show – bG Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2016
Typeset – Art Jewelry in a Literary Setting — Univ. of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Art & Design Department, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2015
Art of Gastronomy – Juried Exhibition, Healdsburg Center for the Arts, California, USA
GreenSmith – Juried Exhibition of Eco-jewelry, Abrams Claghorn Gallery; Albany, California
2014
Louder Than Words – Facèré Gallery, Seattle, Washington
50×50 – Juried Exhibition of 50 works by 50 artists; Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California
Featured Artist – Super Fresh Food Art Gallery, Novato, California
GreenSmith – Juried Exhibition of Eco-jewelry; Artisan, Queensland, Australia
Feast Your Eyes – Juried Exhibition, AnnMarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, Dowell, Maryland
2013
CraftForms, 19th International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft – Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania
7th Annual San Francisco International Chocolate Salon – San Francisco, California
2011
Tasty: Artists Playing With Food – Cabrillo College, Santa Cruz, California
Good Enough to Eat – Facèré Gallery, Seattle, Washington
Subtle Set – Facèré Gallery, Seattle, Washington
ABeCeDarian – Facèré Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2010
Delicious: Work Inspired by Food & Drink – STUDIO: Gallery; San Francisco, California
Six By Six Project – Charmingwall Gallery, New York, NY
Kinetic Toys and Mechanical Objects — Crafthaus Online Exhibit:
Lines Into Shapes – Art Center of Estes Park, Estes Park, Colorado
2009
Paper or Plastic, Luke & Eloy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Urban Renaissance – New Vision of Jewelry and Sculpture, ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California
Schwa ’09 — Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge, Greenville, North Carolina, Katt & Matt Myers, Jurors
Art Undressed, San Francisco, California. Erotic Signature, Curators
CONTROL — South Bay Area and Peninsula Women’s Caucus for Art, San Francisco, California. Guerilla Girls West, Jurors.
Reclaim, Reuse, Renew— Atrium Gallery Ball State University, Muncie Indiana
National Juried Exhibition — Elder Gallery, LUX Center for the Arts, Nebraska Wesleyan University
RE: materialization — Deborah Martin Gallery, Los Angeles, California, Shana Nys Dambrot and Deborah Martin, Jurors
2009 National Juried Exhibition — ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California. Lisah Horner, Juror
2009 National Art Encounter — Naples, Florida. Dahlia Morgan, Juror – Juror’s Choice Award
National Truffle Art Fest — Asheville, North Carolina.
Wearable Art Awards — Port Moody Arts Center; Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada.
Delicious: Work Inspired by Food & Drink — STUDIO: Gallery; San Francisco, CA
Valentine’s Day Celebration of Chocolate & Champagne — Sculpture to Wear; Los Angeles, California.
2008
Radical Jewelry Makeover – A project by Ethical Metalsmiths, Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, California
2007
Pop Art – Champagne Uncorked, Shaw Jewelry; Northeast Harbor, Maine. Curator: Sam Shaw
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Metal Arts Guild San Francisco – past Board Member, Public Relations
San Francisco Professional Food Society – past Board Member: Communications Director
Culinary Historical Society; Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco branches
Bay Area Culinary Historians - co-founder
EDUCATION
Writing for the Art World; Sotheby’s Institute of Art, 2016
Wine and Spirits Education Trust; Napa, California, 2002
Certified Master Chef, Epicurean School; Los Angeles, California, 1999
Master of Fine Arts, CSULB; Long Beach, California, 1998
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree: 3-D Media Metal, Textiles, and Wood, CSUN; Northridge, California, 1993