Greg Carter has a unique artistic vision often only be found in the fringes of the underground art scene. And living in an region that is steeping in hometown sensibilities, his artistic presence can sometimes seem downright alien. But in the best ways. Don’t think for a moment that he just specializes in the bizarre and the grotesque, though there’s plenty of that, but at its heart the relentless pursuit of his vision has yielded many examples of his diverse sense of humor and the indulgences of his childlike heart.
When I asked him about his vast range of concepts and choices of mediums in our recent interview he simply said he was easily “bored.” and “That total engagement is something that I demand of myself, and when I cannot deliver that I know it is time for me to be doing something else where that will happen.”
That said, since Greg’s career has already had a series of significant creative arks, let’s stay focused on much of his early-to-mid-career artwork. Not only because I personally love this time frame, but more of his current projects can already be found online.
In the article from Alternating Crimes 1, Greg Carter’s work at the time were described as “Greg’s images are no doubt influenced by his extensive training in fine art, making his images somewhat idiosyncratic for this new medium. ‘On one level a spoof of science-fiction and technophilic world views, (Carter’s work) is often so esoteric in its tone that you’re not quite sure what it all means’ (quoted from Magellan’s Internet Guide). To help in interpretation Greg has included the stories he develops when creating the work, as the image evolves the story evolves, co-dependent on each other for meaning, and they may or may not be of use to you in interpreting this work for your-self. The works in this portfolio are studies for digital paintings, all done in scratchboard, a very non-hip traditional medium. The works all explore the expressionist premise that the civility of any social interaction ‘is a skintight veneer that is easily scratched, revealing a less than pleasant true nature’. Exploring the depths of the adult world, he returns again and again to the issues of equality domination, and conformity. But most often, his characters battle with the vague sense of a menace that is beyond one’s control. ‘Putting a face on that specter is at the root of my images.’”
