Carmen Drake was born in Maine and later moved to Connecticut with her family. In 1984 she attended the Paire College of Arts in New Haven, CT. In 2008, she received the Special Operations Fund Scholarship making it possible for her to attend the Academy of Classical Design and study with D. Jeffrey Mims. Later she shared a studio with artist mentor Paul S. Brown. In an effort to broaden the scope of her artistry she has attended workshops with Colleen Barry, Joseph McGurl, Kamille Corry, Marc Dalessio, Joshua LaRock, and Michael Klein. Carmen Drake has always had a passion for art and a love for nature. She hopes to translate the emotional and physical connection she has with her subject, finding beauty in an overlooked wildflower or a castaway antique umbrella.Carmen Drake has shown her work at Ann Long Fine Art, Charleston, SC, East Oaks Studios, Raleigh, NC, Arcadia Contemporary, Pasadena, CA, and Collins Galleries, Orleans, MA. Recent awards include Best Floral in the 2019 PleinAir Salon, Still Life Finalist in the 2019 Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition, and Second Place award with the International Guild of Realism 2020 Spring Exhibition.