Frederic Carpenter “Doubled Up” oil on canvas

My work reflects how I see the world around me. For most of my life that world has been lage sprawling cities, endlessly rich in human drama and man-made edifice. Although largely figurative in nature, there is no direct messagein my work — the viewer must provide a willingness to engage and interpret the images in their own personal way. Meaning as such is unique to every individual and becomes a deeper personal connection with the work, free of supplied instruction or context. Painting is my way of capturing the part of life that can only be written in the language of imagery. I find no beginning, middle or end, other than the stages of work that eventually lead to a decision to end progress and allow the painting to be what it is. There is some kind of inherent tension in unfinished or unrefined parts to a painting that strike me as a perfect metaphor for life. I have continued to be transfixed by the human form, since it is the most powerful and engaging subject matter available. I choose to show the figure in many diferent forms, both imagined and realistic. My approach to making paintings is entirely self-taught and informed by studying the works of others and the evolution of my own.