Keith Carter

Keith Carter (June 3, 1948, Madison, Wisconsin) is an influential American photographer, educator, and artist noted for his dreamlike photos of people, animals and objects.

Photography career

At the age of five, Keith Carter's family moved to Beaumont, Texas where his mother worked as a professional photographer. Earning a degree in business administration from Lamar University in Beaumont, in 1970, Carter began work as a commercial photographer.

A trip to the Museum of Modern Art in New York sparked his interest in art photography. For several days per week, the curatorial staff at MoMA allowed him access to their photo collection. Museums do not often allow young artists into their secure collections spaces, and Carter seized upon the opportunity to absorb as much as he could about fine art photographs.

In the 1980s, Carter took over his mother's photo business, traveling to cities throughout Texas to make outdoor portraits of children and families.

Today, Carter teaches photography at Lamar University, where he holds an endowed chair in visual arts (The Walles Chair). The University awarded Carter the school's highest teaching honor and also named him as the Lamar University Distinguished Lecturer.

Carter has published nine photography books and his photographs are in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, George Eastman House, J. Paul Getty Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Wittliff Gallery of Southwestern and Mexican Photography at Texas State University. Carter gives frequent lectures and workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad. In 2006, "The Photographers Series" by Anthropy Arts featured Carter as its first subject.

Published photo books

*"From Uncertain To Blue" (1988)
*"The Blue Man" (1990)
*"Mojo" (1992)
*"Heaven of Animals" (1995)
*"Bones" (1996)
*"Keith Carter Photographs — 25 Years" (1997)
*"Holding Venus" (2000)
*"Ezekiel's Horse" (2000)
*"Two Spirits: Keith Carter and Mauro Fiorese" (2002)
*"Opera Nuda" (2006)

Artistic awards

*Recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Regional Survey Grants
*Lange-Taylor Prize from The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University

References

*"Belong to a Place", Jane McBride (March 12, 2006) The Beaumont Enterprise.
*"The Photographers Series: Keith Carter", John Spellos (May 1, 2006) Anthropy Arts

External links

* [http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/home.html Keith Carter's Official website]
* [http://www.library.txstate.edu/swwc/wg/artist/carter/default.html Witliff Gallery of Southwestern and Mexican Photography]