Todd Carpenter

Light Decaying

2017

"Future Shadow" is of a scene in the woods. This scene is of no particular place, but rather his interpretation and compilation of various places he has visited. As a painter, I examine how the depiction of light contributes to our experience of paintings. The portrayal of light helps a painting to convey the atmosphere and mood of a scene, and is much of what enables a painting to convey depth and realism. Our perception of lighting features occurs largely through pathways in the brain that carry only black and white information, pathways which are distinct from areas that encode the colors and details we use to delineate specific objects. By painting in grayscale, I try to interact specifically with this region of our visual system, with the hope of conveying some of the spaciousness and emotional significance that light can imbue on scenes. Light, whether as the crisp contrast of a back-lit forest or the gray haze of an industrial landscape, is what defines a scene. Its power to communicate the feel of a place is the principle subject of my paintings. The Blue Azul Collection...

"The Factory Builds Eternally East" depicts a open skies and city lights. This scene is of no particular place, but rather Carpenter's interpretation and compilation of various places he has visited. As a painter, I examine how the depiction of light contributes to our experience of paintings. The portrayal of light helps a painting to convey the atmosphere and mood of a scene, and is much of what enables a painting to convey depth and realism. Our perception of lighting features occurs largely through pathways in the brain that carry only black and white information, pathways which are distinct from areas that encode the colors and details we use to delineate specific objects. By painting in grayscale, I try to interact specifically with this region of our visual system, with the hope of conveying some of the spaciousness and emotional significance that light can imbue on scenes. Light, whether as the crisp contrast of a back-lit forest or the gray haze of an industrial landscape, is what defines a scene. Its power to communicate the feel of a place is the principle subject of my paintings. The Blue Azul...

"Undersky" depicts flashes of city lights. These small paintings have so much to say and we can say they beckon viewers to draw closer and observe all that artist has been able to co...

"No Escape from Nature" depicts an early morning walk through the woods. Dappled sunlight makes this scene quite tranquil. As a painter, I examine how the depiction of light contributes to our experience of paintings. The portrayal of light helps a painting to convey the atmosphere and mood of a scene, and is much of what enables a painting to convey depth and realism. Our perception of lighting features occurs largely through pathways in the brain that carry only black and white information, pathways which are distinct from areas that encode the colors and details we use to delineate specific objects. By painting in grayscale, I try to interact specifically with this region of our visual system, with the hope of conveying some of the spaciousness and emotional significance that light can imbue on scenes. Light, whether as the crisp contrast of a back-lit forest or the gray haze of an industrial landscape, is what defines a scene. Its power to communicate the feel of a place is the principle subject of my paintings. The Blue Azul Collection...

The Last Landscape, 2020

Growth of Decay, 2020

"Shades of Silence" embodies a moment of peace, when nature freezes in anticipation of sunset. The canvas depicts mountain slopes illuminated by the evening light, which scatters amo...

acrylic, mixed media on canvas My paintings explore the themes of light, atmosphere, and nature. The brushstrokes and saturated hues in my work aim to convey a sense of energy, move...