Brents Carlton

1903-1962

Theme/Style – Beaux Arts, figurative art

Media – Oils, sculptures, textiles, mosaics, drawings

Artistic Focus – Splendid craftsman. Master of his substance. Works that exhibit a subtly simple grace, a stripped rhythmic simplicity. These are some of the phrases used to describe Brents Carlton and his art. Known for his bold, stylized forms and his chunky, contorted nudes, Carlton worked in exotic woods, stone, marble, bronze and terra cotta. Believing in simplicity in art and in creating works free of superficiality, he used nature as his inspiration without “copying” it.

Career Highlights –

• Born in New Mexico and raised in Arkansas, Brents Carlton discovered art on a visit to the Kansas City Museum, and realized that art was what he wanted to do with his life.
• At the age of 20, Carlton attended the California School of Fine Arts, where he received numerous awards. He also received a scholarship to the Art Students’ League. It was during this period that he recognized sculpture as the medium through which he could best communicate his personal vision.
• Carlton, a fulltime pharmacist, believed that only those artists whose livelihoods depended solely on their artistic endeavors were entitled to benefit from the Depression-era Federal Arts Programs.
• The period from 1929 to 1939 was Carlton’s most prolific, when he produced four major pieces for the Golden Gate International Exposition of 1939-1940 and many pieces for private homes.
• Carlton began and ended his career as a painter, returning to that medium when health concerns made sculpting too difficult.

 

Selection of Works by this Artist

Bibliographic references are available upon request.