Carol Gentithes grew up in the flatlands of Ohio. She graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in English Literature. From there she proceeded to work many years in the travel industry where she managed a travel agency, escorted groups to Russia, handled tourist campaigns for international destinations and so forth. In 1989 she returned to academic life, graduated from Alfred University with a B.F.A. in ceramics and met her future husband, Fred Johnston. In 1997, Carol and Fred, established Johnston & Gentithes Art Pottery in Seagrove, NC. Both Carol & Fred have been artists in residence at Arrowmont School of Arts, TN and ArtLink in Tallin, Estonia. They received the NCECA 2010 International Artist Residency in Jingdezhen, China for 6 weeks at the Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute to explore ancient and contemporary Chinese porcelain.

Carol is best known for her quixotic sculptures. Abstracting from mythology, literature and life’s observations, the subject matter ranges anywhere from pictorial witticisms to political commentaries. Carol’s work has been published in several books and periodicals. Her work is exhibited nationally and internationally and is in the permanent collection of the North Carolina Pottery Center, the Hermitage Museum and Mint Museum.