Carolyn was born in Montagu and grew up here. She studied Ceramics at the Johannesburg School of Art in Bok Street, from 1967 to 1969. Off to London in 1972 and back to Jhb in 1976 where she started a small family business, Bartholomina Dolls. In 1990 she returned to Montagu and set up a studio making terracotta and maiolica earthenware pottery. She started painting around 2004.