Letters of Retrospection – Carrie Ann Baade

Carrie Ann Baade is an American painter whose work has been described by Curator of Contemporary Art Margaret Winslow as “autobiographical parables combin fragments of Renaissance and Baroque religious paintings, resulting in surreal landscapes inhabited by exotic flora, fauna, and figures.

Description: The road that runs through a life shaped by art and creativity is rarely straight. It shortens without warning, turns rough underfoot, and sometimes disappears entirely, leaving you to wonder if it ever existed at all.

An Epidemic of Retrospective is a gathering of voices from people who know that road. Not experts looking down from a distance, but travelers mid-journey, writing back to the version of themselves who had not yet learned what they now carry. Each piece is a personal letter to a younger, less weathered self, and what fills those pages is hard-won: wisdom, honest reflection, lessons that only arrive after the stumble, and observations that could only have been made by someone still moving forward.Their travels are far from finished. That is precisely what makes what they have to say worth hearing.

Artists: Alex Garant, Allison Sommers, Anita Inverarity, Anka Lavriv, Archer Dougherty, Aunia Kahn, Bryan Holland, Carrie Ann Baade, Catherine Moore, Cory Benhatzel, Christina Mrozik, Daniele Aimasso, Encarni Diaz, Erich J. Moffitt, Jasmine Worth, Jennifer Weigel, Jon MacNair, Lauren Saxton, Liba Waring Stambollion, Lola Gil, Mahlimae, Martina Hoffmann, M de Vena, Meesha Goldberg, Melissa Hartley, Morgaine Faye, Neil M. Perry, Paul Chatem, Peca, Scott Holloway, Simona Candini, Susannah Kelly, Tammy Mae Moon, Tracy Lewis, Vanessa Foley

Pages: 86 pages
Cover: Hard Cover
Dimensions‏: ‎7 x 10
ISBN: ‎979-8-9943675-6-8
Publisher: Poetic Tiger Books

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Letters of Retrospection: About the Column

on is an ongoing blog column series inspired by our original anthology, An Epidemic of Retrospective: Words That Change Us. This powerful collection brought together writings and artwork from a diverse group of artists who shared candid reflections on their creative journeys—from their earliest beginnings to where they are now. Through these voices, readers gained insight into the lessons learned, challenges overcome, and transformations that shape an artist’s path. Our blog series continues this conversation by featuring additional letters and stories not included in the original book—offering fresh perspectives and deepening the exploration of artistic growth and self-discovery.