Meet Carmen Lamp | Artist, Entrepreneur, Pharmacist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carmen Lamp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carmen, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I discovered my passion in fine arts during the same year that my mother passed. She too was passionate about the art of oils and although I had always admired her work, I was never able to paint alongside, and learn from her. When my mother passed, her paints, brushes and canvases were given to me and somehow, I felt that her passion was too.

This launched my pursuit of fine art. I started with the medium of oil paints and soon transitioned to pastels. In a way, my art work is one way that I can honor the memory of my mother.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a pharmacist by training, having received my doctorate at UCSF. After working at a tertiary-care teaching hospital for several years, I transitioned to a biotechnology company and spent the next 20 years in Medical Affairs. During this time, I had the opportunity to grow teams, launch multiple life-changing medicines, and learn much about myself and others along the way. There was never a drought in the way of challenges, both at a professional and personal level. However, I learned that the one consistent thing about working at this biotech company was change – and with change, came challenges. In many ways, the challenge stemmed from the human factor – learning how to communicate, engage, and embrace the difference amongst people and teams. What I learned about myself is if I always strived to do the right thing and follow my true north, I couldn’t screw up too badly.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
On one of the weekend mornings, I would take my best friend to family breakfast – where we would sit down with my extended family and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at one of our favorite local spots in the Thousand Oaks area (Hidden Cafe, Cici’s Cafe, Brents Deli). We would definitely hit a local beach area – Oxnard, Malibu, Santa Monica – and take a walk (as our laying our in our bikini days are over), take photos and videos for my next painting, and rent roller blades or bikes along the boardwalk. From a cultural perspective, we would hit the Getty Museum and/or a Hollywood Bowl event, depending on the season. For a laid-back lunch, we would go to one of the local venues – The Stonehaus and sit outside with our dogs. And for dinners, we’d have to check out the local Italian places – Casa Nostra, Nonna, Tuscany – and of course nice, homemade meals with a view at Vista Ridge (my home).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I love the notion and agree that our successes are in part due to influences in our life. For me, my family has been instrumental in my pursuit of my passions and interests. They are consistently supportive, my biggest fans, and always willing to deliver constructive and honest feedback.

I love the book, ‘Range’, by Malcolm Gladwell. In some ways, the concept of the story underscores my approach in life – that we can have both breadth and depth in what we choose to do. I was raised by a single mom, grew up in a multicultural and varied socioeconomic environment, received a doctorate in pharmacy, held multiple positions in the biotech arena, and am now able to allocate time and energy to pursuing my passions in painting, my own business, and other entrepreneurial endeavors. I know that each one of my life experiences has influenced and informed the next.

Website: www.CarmenLamp.com

Instagram: carmen_lamp_fine_art