Generations, The Artistic Influence of an American Master

Thayer Carter

Thayer Carter is the youngest son of Barbara and Alan Carter. He is the namesake of his great-great uncle Abbott H. Thayer. Thayer began his pursuit of the fine arts as a student at the Art Students' League in New York, and the Boston Museum School, in the mid-1960s. For the past 35 years he has used the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe as content for his landscape compositions. Thayer's artwork has evolved into a realism that parallels the work of his grandfather in various ways. "I see his influence in recurring themes in my work," Thayer says, "namely man's relationship with nature, a feeling of loneliness and vastness, and a sense that things are bigger than we are." From both a thematic and a design perspective, Thayer's marine and southwestern landscapes possess striking similarities to many of his grandfather's nautical illustrations and Greenland paintings. Thayer feels comfortable with expressing himself through a variety of media including oils and acrylics, photography, woodcuts and woodworking. When he is not creating his own artwork he is Head Fabricator for the Exhibitions Division of the Museum of New Mexico.

Thayer and his wife Judy reside in New Mexico. Thayer is the father of three, including Molly, who is also represented in this show.

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	15. Vermillion Cliffs. 2000. Acrylic on paper. Image: 32 x 28 in.
	16. Creston, Colorado. 2001. Woodcut. Image: 10 3/4 x 14 1/4 in.
	17. Nightreader. 2001. Woodcut. Image: 7 1/4 x 6 5/8 in.
	18. Cordova, New Mexico. 1994. Oil on canvas. Image: 15 x 35 1/2 in.
	19. Jeremiah O'Brien. 2001. Acrylic on canvas. Image: 50 1/4 x 37 1/2 in.
	20. Sunspots, North Atlantic. 2000. Acrylic on paper. Image: 34 x 42 in.

In Thayer's Upperdeck and Clara's Moonlit Image, the artists use similar textures, light and color to develop their compositions. These applications are used to convey a sense of quiet and solitude. Kent used similar means in his own work including the painting, Dead Calm: North Greenland.

	Thayer Carter 34. Upperdeck. 1999. Acrylic on paper. 41 x 32 in.
	Clara Dennison 35. Moonlit Image. 2000. Monotype. Image: 20 x 16 in.

All works, collection of the artist.

Copyright Scott R. Ferris

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