Carin Dorrington was born in 1963 in the Paarl, Western Cape. She completed her BA Fine Art (Hon(s)) HED degree at the University of Stellenbosch in 1985. Thereafter, she became an art teacher at the Jack Meyer Art Centre in Paarl until 1993. After 1993 she married and moved to Porterville, Western Cape where she taught art privately for 15 years.

Currently Dorrington works on slab built, high fired stoneware vessels. These vessels are highly decorative yet functional and are inspired by totem poles and industrial architecture. They have an emphasis on bold colour application and geometric shapes.