Charles Carson

Contre Courant

Born in Montreal in 1957, Charles Carson has been devoting himself entirely to his art since 1983. Frustrated at an early age with his own futile early attempts at originality, Carson went on a quest to find his vision — to Europe, Asia, the US and South America, living in his own dream fueled by the sea, forests and wildlife and by his lofty personal ideals. As an emerging artist, Carson participated in studio classes and attended seminars, ever-seeking to hone his sense of perfection to help him state a unique pictorial technique and artistic style reflective of his broad base of experience. His artistic pallate as a colorist incorporates both abstract and figurative vision in image allowing Carson’s interpretive landscapes, marine scenes and still life works to be infused with an affirming passion, within the structure of a composition. Thus originality of Carson’s artistic style was monogrammed “Carsonism” by critics. His artistic talent has garnered him many honors and distinctions, including seven gold medals on the international stage. Other honors include induction into the Académie Internationale des Beaux-Arts du Québec as “Master of Fine Arts” (2007) and "Grand Master of Fine Arts" (2013), “Artist of the Year” at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Academia XXI Gala (2009), recipient of the "Leonardo da Vinci" and "Vincent van Gogh" international art prizes awarded by Italia del Arte (2009, 2011), "Grand-maître académicien" at the Salon international de l'Académie Européenne des Arts France (2007), to name but a few. ------------------------------- "Art no longer holds any secrets or mysteries for a seasoned pro like me. Copyists, imitators and opportunists are quickly unmasked; self-proclaimed “artists” daubing in images of the sea, flowers, bodies or faces that have no soul, no emotion. Shunning popular trends and cheap visual effects, Charles Carson reveals the many unique facets of his immense poetic skill in each and every one of his paintings. They offer a breath of life, his life, questioning and delighting the minds and trained eyes of connoisseurs. Charles Carson has staked his claim to artistic posterity, for today one proclaims “it’s a Carson” in the same manner that one refers to the works of immortal artists like Picasso, Matisse, Warhol or Basquiat."