David Carlson
"David Carlson is an Arlington, Virginia based artist. He was born in Champaign, Illinois and grew up in Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. He received his BFA in Painting from Murray State University (1974-79), apprenticed with Gregory Gillespie (1979-81), and received his MFA in Painting from University of Massachusetts (1982-84). He has taught at Marymount University, Arlington Arts Center, and the Art League, and is a former member of the Arlington Commission for the Arts.
Carlson has consistently made abstract works that have a unifying, spiritual quality. His paintings delve into the intersections of time, energy, composition, and unknown circumstances. His video works draw from the natural world, particularly water, and correspond to the rhythms, emotions, and energies of human life. Just as Carlson connects our environment with us, he also thoughtfully connects image and sound in his work, collaborating with artists, poets, and composers.
Carlson’s paintings and digital works are represented in numerous collections; both private and corporate, national and international. He has engaged in artist exchanges with Central Asia, West and North Africa, and Europe and has had over 35 solo exhibitions."
Artist Statement:
“There is a freedom through abstraction that removes borders of separation and identification that allows for harmonious balance between inner consciousness and external observation. Drawing inspiration from my experiences with nature combined with Zen and Taoist philosophies, abstraction allows me to capture the ever-shifting equilibrium and sense of wholeness and connection between people, humanity, and the natural world. My work is a meditative search of fluid essence and connection, inviting viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of all living things.
Questioning sets the foundation while process drives my work. For example, what is the nature of reality, what is the reality of nature? The tension between opposing paradigms of structure and change continually challenges me to look for different ways to understand these questions. Involvement is more important than the narratives I tell myself. In nature I encounter the energies of geological, botanical, water, air, and light along with birth, growth, old age, and decay simultaneously. It is the ever-changing quality and pure experience of the sublime that connects me with something I can’t define but beckons attention.
In the studio, I embrace my ongoing experience with nature. The act of abstract painting allows me to investigate and play with the unseen energies (essence) that exist and flow through all things. Creation and destruction are active elements throughout the work. By varying areas of thick, viscous paint with translucent passages, pulsing color with veiling whites, and geometric shapes with arterial networks, I achieve balance. Color plays a supportive role in the black and white elements drawing attention to subtle nuances which allow the viewer to see into the work from diverse points of view. Through different layers, I embody a clear sense of both time and endeavor into the deep exploration of that which is and that which is ongoing. The dialogue happens through process and search, allowing me to have a visual conversation between things I know and things I don’t.”
