In this episode of I Love Your Stories, host Hava Gurevich sits down with photographer and former tech architect Carol Schiraldi. A New York City native who moved to Austin in the early ‘90s, Carol shares her journey from programming and systems design to becoming a full-time artist. They explore the balance between creative passion and professional careers, the philosophical role of photography, the impact of the pandemic on life direction, and the influence of AI on both art and humanity. This is a candid and insightful conversation about purpose, discovery, and the intersection of technology and creativity.

Show Notes:

• Guest Introduction: Carol Schiraldi – NYC native, photographer, former tech lead, and system architect
• Early Career: Transitioning from physics to computer programming and moving to Austin for a tech job in 1992
• First Encounter with Photography: How picking up a camera helped Carol connect with her new community and sparked instant artistic success
• Dual Careers: Managing life as both a software engineer and a working artist for decades
• The Click Moment: Describing the profound moment photography “clicked” — a calling that led to national exhibits early on
• Bridging Tech and Art: How problem-solving in programming parallels understanding human emotion through photography
• Pandemic Shift: Why the global pause became the catalyst for leaving tech behind to pursue art full time
• On Creativity: Treating photography as a tool for exploration, asking questions you don’t know the answers to
• The View from Point Nemo: Carol’s conceptual project inspired by the most remote place on Earth, exploring themes of isolation and distance
• AI & Humanity: How artificial intelligence can reflect our own human essence, and the role of artists in guiding its ethical use
• Sex and Cash Theory: A frank discussion on balancing passion projects with income-generating work
• Defining Success: Carol’s “tripod” model – a balance of financial success, artistic fulfillment, and community impact