Carolyn Kaufman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Michigan in 1977 in The History of Art, with an emphasis on Museum Practices and Principles. Previously, she had worked at the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, her birthplace, and taken art history classes at Chatham College in Pittsburgh, PA, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Pittsburgh. Intermittently, she worked as an apprentice to two ceramic artists near Yorktown, VA.

In 1995, The Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, hired her in the educational department to direct Summer Art Camps. She remained involved with the museum, training and volunteering as a docent. She served on a directorial board  during that time, as well.

Since early 1990's, she served on the jurying committee for Ketner's Mill Fair, and worked with the exhibitors every year up to 2010. She also served three non-consecutive years as a juror for the Athens Area Council for The Arts.

She has always created her own art expressions, in a multitude of medium, paintings and drawings, shadow box compilations, graffiti photograph arrangements and found object or clay sculpture.  In 2000, she was asked to exhibit at Local Color Gallery, in Nashville, TN. The same year, she was invited to join In-Town Art Gallery on Frazier Avenue, in Chattanooga. In the 7 years of membership of the co-operative gallery, she was vice- president twice, and served as the gallery designer. Gallery 1401 hired her in 2000. She worked with the art and patrons co-ordinating many wonderful art events.

She has been on the Sculpture Fields of Montague Park Board of Trustees since 2014, acting as Chairwoman of The Board from 2019-2021.