Welcome to Fine Art by Carter
Terrell Carter has been drawing for as long as he can remember. His early influences were comic strip and comic book artists like Frank Miller, Bill Watterson, and Matt Wagner. As he matured, Harlem Renaissance artists, such as Jacob Lawrence and Aaron Douglas, as well as German printmaker Kathe Kollowitz, led him to take his art into a more serious direction. He began to explore themes involving race and class struggles within his hometown of St. Louis. Currently, Terrell is exploring the human figure in the tradition of the San Francisco Bay Area Figurative Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. His intent is to interpret the body with the use of abstract shapes and contrasting colors. Terrell primarily works in oil, chalk pastel, charcoal and various brands of house paint on plywood.
Terrell’s goal as an artist is to incorporate history, both personal and corporate, into his artwork. In his work, he has dealt with issues that he faced as an African-American youth, growing up in the City of St. Louis among real and perceived racism. He then transitioned into work that reflected his expectations and accomplishments relating to entering manhood. Following that, his artwork reflected issues relating to his experiences as a Police Officer for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. His work has come full circle, concentrating on issues of manhood, especially as they relate to his position as father and husband.
“In my art, I usually try to tell a story. I am not necessarily concerned with drawing pictures right, or perfect. I am more interested in telling a story through the use of color, shapes, and technique. I want people to see the work and the process that has occurred to produce that work. I want people to see the underlying sketches and ideas. I incorporate the techniques of the Bay Area Figurative Movement, by placing thick paint on the plywood surface in erratic fashion, and let the surface help dictate how the overall image is formed.”
Mr. Carter has completed a graduate degree in Arts Management and Leadership, and also earned a Doctor of Theology. He is an Adjunct Art Instructor for the St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, and teaches humanities related courses and is the Director of the art galleries associated with the community college. Terrell is locally represented by Baseline Gallery and his work has been exhibited in galleries in the United States, South Africa, Japan and Taiwan. He has also written "Machiavellian Arts Management: Timeless Advice for 21st Century Arts Managers" For more information about Terrell and his writings, please visit www.booksbycarter.com.