C.C. Opiela was born in Chicago, IL where painting, drawing and artistic expression began early.
 
By sixteen, she had started her formal art studies at the famed Art Institute of Chicago. She gave up Saturdays, and the other whims of her teenage peers, to be immersed in her studies surrounded by the great masters of art.

After attending art school, C.C. continued her studies at the University of Wisconsin and majored in Studio Arts.
 
In addition to her extensive art studies, she has also studied philosophy and psychology. This mixture of knowledge and understanding of the psyche is what allows C.C. to interpret what she intuits on an emotional level and translate it into the visual medium of abstract design.
 
In pursuit of expanding her own style, the artist took a sabbatical and traveled to the Greek Isles, Indonesia, Australia and throughout the Pacific Islands, among other places. Her diverse travels have influenced and inspired her to incorporate the exotic colors and textures of nature into her style.
 
For many years, C.C.’s full schedule included roles as a lecturer, juror and demonstrator, as well as teacher of art throughout the U.S.
 
The recipient of many awards, C.C. has exhibited in numerous one-woman shows and her works are included in major collections throughout the US and abroad. Her work has also been sold in countless galleries around the U.S.