About Carol Cannon
Growing up as the daughter of two professional artists oriented Carol Cannon from the beginning with an eye for fine art and objects, as well as the need to make them. All of her education and work experience have been involved with either creating, studying, handling, restoring, photographing, exhibiting, preserving, archiving, teaching how to make, writing about, or selling works of art.
At age 20, when Cannon met the accomplished Moroccan artist, Ahmed ben driss El Yacoubi, she was quickly drawn into his mysterious realm where pure inspiration was a daily occurrence. His inwardly accessing a spiritual source for inspiration confirmed her own inner experiences that she had always sought to express through her own painting and creations.
Eventually, the conundrum of supporting a life committed to one’s art catalyzed her education and development in diverse skill sets, one being mastership of decorative painting that has supported her and her studies for decades.
The bond of following one’s personal truth, which she and Yacoubi shared, served as the foundation for Cannon’s ongoing explorations. Specifically, in keeping with the needs of her time, Cannon’s in-depth study of alternative healing principles paved the way to her developing a method of applying traditional principles in ink painting to our contemporary times and needs.
In 1998 Cannon accompanied the renowned Chinese art authority and esteemed artist CC Wang and his friend and student, Dr. Sing Ma Foon, to Hong Kong and China for their joint exhibition at the Guangdong Museum. This bold display of abstract ink work by these two masters was a daring test of the existing political regime’s easing of cultural control and presaged the explosion of abstract art in China since. Being asked to speak in lieu of the American Ambassador for the opening was an unexpected honor for Cannon, particularly as a Western woman. Dr. Ma’s encyclopedic knowledge of Chinese art, culture, martial arts, and handling of ink, opened up an unending path of exploration for Cannon.
In 2006, after the London probate court determined the fate of Yacoubi’s remaining collection due to the sudden death of his daughter, Cannon stepped up and purchased the contents of the storage unit that had been holding his work since his death in 1985.
Her thesis for the Masters degree program at Sotheby's (Managing and Marketing an Estate of a Deceased Artist) received their Note of Distinction and serves as a manual for others seeking to market a deceased artist in the international art world, as well. Being globally considered the authority on Ahmed Yacoubi’s work has her issuing Certificates of Authenticity for owners of Yacoubi’s work, tracking the auctions sales and the provenance of his pieces on behalf of his eventual Catalogue Raisonne, presenting Artist Talks about his career and exhibitions of his remaining collection.
In 2022, in Long island City, Cannon produced “Grok Twice”, the first joint exhibit of Yacoubi’s and Cannon’s work that was well-attended by family, friends, former students, fellow studio artists, and the Moroccan Counsel. My Years with Ahmed Yacoubi is the first of numerous other stories to come from Cannon’s explorations and storehouse of experience.