John F. Carlson
Encyclopedia
John F. Carlson was a Swedish-born American Impressionist
artist.
, Kalmar County
, in Småland
, Sweden
. The Carlson family immigrated to the United States in 1884, making their home in Buffalo, New York
. Carlson attended evening art classes at the Art Students League of Buffalo, New York. There Carlson received instruction from Lucius Wolcott Hitchcock (1868-1942), a former pupil at the Académie Colarossi
in Paris
and the Art Students League of New York
.
Carlson won a scholarship in 1903 or 1904 to study with Lovell Birge Harrison
at the Byrdcliffe Colony
in Woodstock, New York
. Carlson began exhibiting work in such national shows as the annual of the Art Institute of Chicago
in 1905. From this period on, he maintained an active exhibition schedule and submitted works in a variety of media, though with particular success in watercolor and oil. In 1906, the Art Students League Summer School awarded Carlson his third scholarship to study Landscape painting. Carlson became a specialist in winter scenes and received an appointment as assistant director of Woodstock in 1908.
and when he was elected to Associate membership of the National Academy of Design
. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed by the Art Students League to the directorship of the Woodstock School of Landscape Painting. In 1912, the Salmagundi Club
presented him with the Vezin Prize for watercolors, as well as the first Isidor Prize. In the following year, Carlson won a silver medal from the Washington Society of Artists.
Carlson won a silver medal at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition
of 1915. He was presented with the Carnegie Prize
and the Altman First Prize by the National Academy of Design
in 1918, and, in the following year, he resigned his position as director of Woodstock School of Landscape Painting. In 1920, Carlson began teaching during the summer months at the Broadmoor Art Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. Carlson founded the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting at Woodstock in 1922. Three years later, the artist was elected a full member of the National Academy of Design.
In 1928, Carlson published an instructional book entitled Elementary Principles of Landscape Paintings. The book was reprinted in 1953, 1958, 1970 and 1973. More recent editions have been titled Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting.
American Impressionism
Impressionism, a style of painting characterized by loose brushwork and vivid colors, was practiced widely among American artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-An emerging artistic style from Paris:...
artist.
Background
John Fabian Carlson was born in Kolsebo in Västervik MunicipalityVästervik Municipality
Västervik Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden, with its seat in the city of Västervik....
, Kalmar County
Kalmar County
Kalmar County is a county or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Kronoberg, Jönköping, Blekinge and Östergötland. To the east in the Baltic Sea is the island Gotland....
, in Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The Carlson family immigrated to the United States in 1884, making their home in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Carlson attended evening art classes at the Art Students League of Buffalo, New York. There Carlson received instruction from Lucius Wolcott Hitchcock (1868-1942), a former pupil at the Académie Colarossi
Académie Colarossi
The Académie Colarossi is an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. First located on the Île de la Cité, it moved in the 1870s to 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
.
Carlson won a scholarship in 1903 or 1904 to study with Lovell Birge Harrison
Lovell Birge Harrison
Lovell Birge Harrison was an American genre and landscape painter, teacher, and writer. He was a prominent practitioner and advocate of Tonalism.-Life:...
at the Byrdcliffe Colony
Byrdcliffe Colony
The Byrdcliffe Colony, also called the Byrdliffe Arts Colony or Byrdcliffe Historic District, was founded in 1902 near Woodstock, New York by Jane and Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead and colleagues, Bolton Brown and Hervey White...
in Woodstock, New York
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
. Carlson began exhibiting work in such national shows as the annual of the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
in 1905. From this period on, he maintained an active exhibition schedule and submitted works in a variety of media, though with particular success in watercolor and oil. In 1906, the Art Students League Summer School awarded Carlson his third scholarship to study Landscape painting. Carlson became a specialist in winter scenes and received an appointment as assistant director of Woodstock in 1908.
Career
In 1911, he won his first important award at the Swedish-American Exhibition in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and when he was elected to Associate membership of the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed by the Art Students League to the directorship of the Woodstock School of Landscape Painting. In 1912, the Salmagundi Club
Salmagundi Club
The Salmagundi Club, also known as the Salmagundi Art Club, was founded in 1871 in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, in the United States. It currently is located at 47 Fifth Avenue...
presented him with the Vezin Prize for watercolors, as well as the first Isidor Prize. In the following year, Carlson won a silver medal from the Washington Society of Artists.
Carlson won a silver medal at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition
Panama–Pacific International Exposition
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery...
of 1915. He was presented with the Carnegie Prize
Carnegie Prize
The Carnegie Prize is an international prize for artists, awarded by the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.The prize should not be confused with the Carnegie Medal, which is awarded for children's literature....
and the Altman First Prize by the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
in 1918, and, in the following year, he resigned his position as director of Woodstock School of Landscape Painting. In 1920, Carlson began teaching during the summer months at the Broadmoor Art Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. Carlson founded the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting at Woodstock in 1922. Three years later, the artist was elected a full member of the National Academy of Design.
In 1928, Carlson published an instructional book entitled Elementary Principles of Landscape Paintings. The book was reprinted in 1953, 1958, 1970 and 1973. More recent editions have been titled Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting.
Other sources
- Haugan, Reidar Rye Prominent Artists and Exhibits of Their Work in Chicago (Chicago Norske Klub. Nordmanns-Forbundet, 24: 371—374,Volume 7, 1933)
Related reading
- John F. Carlson, N.A., 1874-1945: Exhibition II, from September 17, 1980 (Vose Galleries of Boston, Inc., Boston, MA: 1980)
- John F. Carlson, N.A., 1874-1945: Paintings of Colorado, Canadian and Smoky Mountains : Exhibition III from May 11, 1982 (Vose Galleries of Boston, Inc., Boston, MA: 1982
- John F. Carlson: [exhibition] February 6-March 3, 1993 (Babcock Galleries. New York: 1993)