Allen 'Big Al' Carter facts for kids

Allen Dester Carter (June 29, 1947 – December 18, 2008) was an amazing American artist and a public school art teacher. Many people knew him as 'Big Al' Carter. He lived in Alexandria, Virginia, and taught art in Washington, D.C..

Big Al was known for creating a huge amount of art. He once said he had about 20,000 artworks! These included everything from detailed etchings to very large, brightly colored paintings. He used many different art forms, like big photographs, pen-and-ink drawings, and unique prints. He also made etchings, paintings, murals, and even ceramics.

What made his art special was how he used everyday items. He would add things like popsicle sticks, buttons, and clothes pins to his artwork. His art often showed people he met while fishing, along with his friends and family. Much of his work was fun and playful, with bright colors and strong lines. But he also explored important feelings and ideas about life and society in his art.

Becoming an Artist: Big Al's Education

Allen Carter studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio. He earned his first art degree there in 1972. After that, he came back to Washington, D.C., to continue his studies and teach at American University. Later, in 1995, his old college, the Columbus College of Art and Design, gave him an honorary advanced art degree.

Where Big Al's Art Was Shown

During his life, Allen Carter's art was shown in many galleries and museums. Most of these were in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. He even had exhibitions with famous African American artists, like the painter Romare Bearden.

Some of the well-known places where his art was displayed include:

• The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
• The Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
• The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia.
• The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
• The Portsmouth City Museum in Virginia.
• The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, North Carolina.
• The Alexandria Black History Museum in Alexandria, Virginia.

After he passed away, a special show of his art was held at Vanderbilt University. In 2015, another big exhibition featured 80 of his works at the Arizona State University Art Museum. More recently, in 2019, a show of his art was held at the Fred Schnider Gallery of Art in Arlington County, Virginia.

You can still see Allen Carter's artworks today! They are part of the permanent collections at the Smithsonian Museum and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He also painted large public murals in several cities, including Roanoke, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Asheville, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 1992, he was chosen to paint the official mural for the 200th anniversary of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You can see this mural online here.

Awards and Recognition

Allen Carter received several important awards for his art. He was given the key to Kansas City, which is a special honor. He also won a fellowship from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Plus, he received an Artist-In-Residence award from the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities.

What Critics Said About His Art

Even though Allen Carter's art was highly praised, he chose not to show his work in New York City. This is often seen as the art capital of the country, where he might have become even more famous.

Paul Richard, an art critic for The Washington Post, wrote about one of Carter's shows in 1985. He said, "Carter's art is powerful, big-hearted, never fussy." He added that "Warmth pours from the walls. To walk into the gallery is to accept Big Al's embrace."

In 1990, The New York Times reviewed his paintings. They said his art "suggest boundless, uncontrollable freedom... [a] complex world of reality, dream and art." These reviews show how much people appreciated his unique and heartfelt artistic style.