Curtis Carlson
Curtis Carlson
Howdy, my name is Curtis Carlson and I’m a multimedia artist based in Sacramento, CA
Since my youth, I have loved drawing, illustrating and doing anything art related. I was orphaned and put up for adoption at a very early age. Art carried me through the tough times, both financially and emotionally. I am heavily influenced by 60s and 70s psychedelic art, the manipulation of hues and colors done by the Op Art artists, and the organic shapes and movement of the Art Nouveau movement.
My undergrad degree was in Psych/Counseling, which allowed me to work with adults with disabilities for over a decade. During that time I continued to draw, paint, dye textiles, and even some screen printing. I have also worked professionally in many creative fields such as a graphic designer, screen printer, textile dyer, found object sculptor, web designer, illustrator tattoo artist, and web designer.
As fate would have it, I was diagnosed with adult ADHD and then received a nearly fatal dose of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. This lowered my cognitive functioning to the point where I could barely put thoughts into words and caused several instances of near fatal systems and organ failures.
I am here to tell you that there is a gift within suffering. My brain damage gave me the chance to reconcile with my adoptive parents who took me in and raised me as a young child and allowed me to help care for them in their golden years. My brain damage also got me out of an unhealthy relationship. The experience made me realize that everything is gravy on the mashed potatoes of life.
Twitter: Curtis_Rosebud
Instagram: @CurtisMCarlson
Facebook: Curtis.M.Carlson & @ArtofCurtisMCarlson
Location: 4th & I Streets
About my traffic utility box design:
“Dragons Trains and Tigers”
Original Medium: Pens, Photo Collage and Electronic/Graphic software
The inspiration for this piece was the location of the box. Many times over my years in Sacramento, I have left or arrived at the train station on 4th and I Street. As a youth, it represented the beginning of a long trek East or the end of a long trip from the East to the West. Later in my life it was the starting and stopping point of many trips north and south.
Being in Sacramento Valley most of my life and knowing the history and value of the railway systems to the economy and culture of our great state, and being taught about the work Chinese migrants and Chinese Americans did while risking their lives to provide us with pathways through the treacherous geographic obstacles, I though it only right to, in my limited way, thank all those people through paying homage to them. Without these people’s sacrifice our nation would be so much less than it is.
More work from Curtis Carlson
"BLM Mandala: Autumn Blues," digital collage, 10 x 10"
"BLM Mandala: Autumn Purple," digital collage, 10 x 10"
“Dancing Yellow Jeans,” markers on paper, 11 x 12.5"
“Piece Of Fat,” markers on paper, 7.5 x 10.5"
“Pink Elephants,” markers on paper, 8.5 x 11"
“Tears Of Passion,” markers on paper, 14 x 10"
“Lingua Blanca Collection,” digital photograph, 10 x 8"