Hometown: Southern New Jersey

Born in rural Southern New Jersey, I began drawing at an early age. My formal training in art began at Glassboro State College, now known as Rowan University. While there I became fascinated with the abstract expressionists through Prof. Gerald Monroe and created boldly colored, loosely rendered landscapes in oil. During that time my design was selected for a large mural for the Chamberlain Student Center. I graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

I began showing my work in Southern New Jersey galleries in group, two man and solo exhibitions.

With formal training in art, along with an electrical construction background, I made a living combining my skills by becoming an architectural draftsman and electrical designer.

Later, I continued my education at the Continuing Education Department of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Jill Rupinski and Joseph Sweeney. Through studio and plein air classes my focus became primarily on landscape, using pastels for their immediacy and rich color.

My work is inspired by many different artists: John Constable, Vincent Van Gogh, Giovanni Boldini, Piet Mondrian, Mark Rothko, Fairfield Porter, George Inness, Wolfe Kahn and Ives Klein, to name a few.

As an artist, I paint, in a realistic style, scenes that are inspired by actual locations. Sometimes very accurately rendered and at other times only using it as a starting point. The suggestion of detail is done by the scraping of pastel, a smudge with his finger, one color placed strategically beside another fascinates me. It’s that act of painting that I’m interested in. The exploration of the surface versus the medium. In the end creating a record of the experiences that brought forth the finished piece. I attempt to create works that the viewer can appreciate as a beautiful representation of a place or dig deeper, up close, and take in the painting for the abstract qualities, assorted colors and shapes placed in various ways on paper.

As an avid fisherman and boat captain I spend many days on the water. Through that experience I’ve been developing a body of work that is based on the landscape of Southern New Jersey, where I live, as well as other areas along the East Coast. I have won best in show and other awards. And my work is in both private as well as public collections and continues to be exhibited throughout the area.

drewscarpa.com