Michael Carter Transforms Oil Paintings to Digital Prints

Michael Carter is breathing new life into oil paints he has created over the span of his career through digital prints now on display at the Square Café.

A resident of Regent Square, Carter, 64, is inspired by the buildings and shapes around him that he experiences in every day life, whether it’s the angle of a certain structure or the way the telephone wires look against the sky.

“I go around the city looking for points of interest and I’ll make sketches for a few days,” Carter said. “All of that stuff is in my psyche. You have to fill up the cup before it spills out on the paper.”

Carter’s abstract works of art consist of different oil paintings he has worked on from the 1960’s until now. Each piece is a computer-generated print of a slide. After taking pictures of his work, he saved the negatives – but didn’t save every painting.

With those negatives, Carter is able to digitally manipulate works of art that have been made over the span of decades.

He said he wants people to experience the paintings in their own ways.

“I want people to enjoy them,” he said. “Each painting is like a scene from a movie.”

Carter’s paintings will be shown at the Square Café until the end of the month. For more information call 412-731-6097 or e-mail Michael@studiocarter.com.

Full Disclosure: Local Editor Stephanie Rex worked at the Square Cafe during college.