BLAKE CARTER
Blake Carter’s recent drawings abound in dichotomies. Crudely scribbled figures are arranged into carefully structured compositions, and though the pieces are figural, they appear abstract at a distance. The figures look repetitive until closer inspection reveals that each one is unique.
Conceptually, the grouped figures suggest a sense of togetherness and community. Each of us is flawed, but with organization and collaboration, we as a society can prosper. Most of the figures are anonymous, like the people we see but don’t get to know in everyday life. A few cultural and historical references playfully invite a closer look.
Blake’s choice of drawing on porous substrates adds an expressionist element of risk, limiting any possible revisions and creating a record of his time-intensive process. While expressionism is often associated with impulsive, emotional outbursts, the pieces exude an obsessively controlled balance of chaos and order.
Education
Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA:
Bachelor of Arts, Studio Art Major
Artists Studied Under
Keiko Hara
Tsong Pu
Collections
City of Kent
Body of Work
2009-12: Composers (available)
2009-15: Scooters (sold out)
2012: New Landscape Paintings (sold out)
2012-16: Pedestrians (closed)
2017-current: All of Us (available)