From Washington-area roots to Saint Augustine’s sun-washed streets, Carlton Brent Thurman captures fleeting light with plein-air immediacy and a teacher’s heart.
Preferred Mediums
- Acrylic painting
- Oil painting
- Watercolor
- Mixed-media painting
- Ceramics & pottery
- Plein-air studies
Biography
Carlton Brent Thurman’s creative journey began in the quiet suburbs of Washington, D.C., where Saturday-morning viewings of The Joy of Painting first unlocked the possibility that pigment could turn feeling into form. Determined to refine that spark, he earned his BFA from Boston University in 1996, grounding his practice in traditional techniques while experimenting with photography and the emerging vocabulary of street art. Those early years forged a dual fascination: the disciplined study of composition and the raw energy of marks made quickly in public space.
For two decades Thurman shared that passion with Baltimore City Public School students, guiding middle-school artists in at-risk communities to see their own neighborhoods as canvases brimming with potential. Teaching honed his talent for translating complex ideas into clear, accessible lessons—a skill that now echoes in paintings whose layered surfaces invite viewers of every background to step closer and discover stories beneath the brushwork.
In 2022, seeking fresh inspiration and the challenge of constant coastal light, Thurman relocated to Saint Augustine, Florida. The nation’s oldest city—with Spanish-colonial architecture, shifting Atlantic skies, and a thriving creative scene—has proven fertile ground. Most mornings find him setting up an easel along King Street or beneath the Castillo’s coquina walls, chasing the delicate interplay of sun, shadow, and sea breeze. These plein-air sessions feed larger studio canvases where acrylic, oil, and watercolor combine with gestural marks reminiscent of his street-art past, yielding compositions that feel both immediate and timeless.
Thurman’s commitment to community aligns seamlessly with Art Box Gallery & Studios’ mission to amplify diverse voices and nurture emerging talent. His work bridges academic rigor and everyday wonder, offering collectors pieces that honor classical draftsmanship while radiating contemporary vibrancy. Whether a jewel-toned marshscape or a hand-thrown vessel washed in atmospheric glazes, each creation pays homage to the region’s luminous palette and to the resilience he witnessed in the classrooms of Baltimore.
Exhibitions & Achievements
- BFA, Boston University, 1996
- 20-year tenure teaching visual art in Baltimore City Public Schools
(Additional exhibition history forthcoming)
Artist Statement
“I make paintings of Saint Augustine’s timeless beauty in a contemporary, dynamic style that captures the fleeting magic of light before it slips away.”
