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Robert Carlson began his career in art studying at The Art Institute of Chicago at age ten. Since his father was a freelance commercial artist, Robert was exposed to commercial and fine art events early on, both in the public and at home. After working in his father’s studio as a designer for four years, Robert attended college very briefly and then struck out on his own. It was during this time that Robert established his life-long connection with clay as his primary working medium.
Robert Carlson employs the ancient techniques of pit firing and raku firing clay as the foundation for his work. After the pieces are fired, he creates multiple layers on the surface using cotton infused acrylics, clear glazes, enamels, gold leaf and small clay additions. The completed works are earthy and mysterious, yet vibrantly contemporary.
Robert Carlson has taught at the University of Wisconsin/ Oshkosh, the Appalachian Center for Crafts, the New Mexico Potters Guild, Florida Atlantic University, the Island Art Center on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, among others. Robert Carlson’s work can be found in the notable collections of the Whitehouse, the Johnson Foundation, Saks Fifth Avenue, A.T. & T. Headquarters, the Prudential Corporation Headquarters, and in the personal collections of Walter Payton, Don Johnson, Lucio Noto (CEO, Mobil Oil), Chef Jean Joho, and Duane and Sharon Gautier, among others.
Art of any kind is not born of a single force, rather it emerges when the combination of soul, intellect, vision, spirit, heart and hand come together at the same precise moment. When this occurs, line form, color, texture and light converge to speak a universal language that spans time and civilizations. Cultural and political lines become blurred and the human spirit triumphs.
-Robert Carlson
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