Feature of the Day #40: David A. Carlson

Greetings!

Wanderer

Today's feature goes to David A. Carlson and his beautiful watercolor paintings.
Carlson has always had a love for art work. His Uncle, who was a well known artist, taught him watercolor painting for a number of years. His father was also a painter, and some of the best memories of his youth are painting by his father's side. Carlson still remembers his first painting: a night scene with the moon and lights from surrounding home reflecting off a lake. He has been a painter ever since.
In 1998, Carlson recieved his Masters degree in Architecture from the University of Utah. He has designed and managed the construction of several commercial buildings and schools in Utah and Texas. He has also practiced for a number of years for two national firms based in Texas and California, as well as in Salt Lake City. For a period of eight months, Carlson had the opportunity to travel for the Air Force working on master planning and dorm analysis. This project took him to bases all over the United States, Hawaii, and from the Aleutian Island to Wake Island.

Under Construction

In 2009, the firm Carlson worked for unfortunately closed, and as the Great Recession worsened, so did his prospects to continue working in architecture. Yet even through these hard times, he has chosen to see it as, "a long awaited opportunity and a new challenge."
Carlson's watercolors are beautiful and bold, unique and a treat for the eyes. His love for architecture is clear, as his brush masterfully captures it on the canvas. There is a strong illustrative quality to his images, as though each painting is waiting to tell its story.
There seem to be two separate styles in which Carlson paints. One is a highly realistic style, more commonly seen in his paintings of architecture, both natural and man-made. Each window rendered with care, each tile placed gently upon the roofs. For example, his painting Under Construction (left) is of the Utah State Capitol as it was under repair. Carlson himself got to be a part of the design team for the restoration of the building. As he says, he was, "fascinated at the engineering upgrades and architectural work that went into this project." It is very much an artist mindset to not only paint the building when it's complete and shining, but while it's under repair and at its most vulnerable. Yet even with the scaffolding wrapped around it, Carlson's painting captures the beauty of the damaged building. The scaffolding feels like linen wrappings, holding the building together as it heals. The curving dome, as strong as ever, pull the eye up into the bold Cupola as it overlooks its city.

Rusted Old Truck

The other style of painting Carlson employs is more minimalist, carrying only the essentials of what each image needs to hold itself. For example, Rusted Old Truck, (right) shows the jagged remains of a once reliable vehicle. Now reduced to basic edges and shapes. Carlson's brush is light and the colors are soft, but the edges remain harsh enough to serve as a reminder of decay. There are no scaffolding wraps for this elderly pickup. Just the long degeneration as it returns to nature. Yet Carlson has captured the beauty of the remaining form through his use of light and shadows. It gives the truck a sense of proud dignity as it stands alone with the countless memories at carries.

To see more of David Carlson's work, visit his Etsy store here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/davidcarlson
Most of his paintings have been purchased, so to see past works, go here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/davidcarlson/sold

Be Creative today!

~Squirrel Creek Creations

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