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Norman Carton

Ukraine-born American, 1908-1980
Norman Carton with one of his paintings, c. 1959. Courtesy of the Norman Carton Estate
Norman Carton with one of his paintings, c. 1959. Courtesy of the Norman Carton Estate

Norman Carton has a visually-recognizable style which speaks of a particular era.

Ukraine-born American Expressionist Norman Carton has a visually-recognizable style which speaks of a particular era. His formal art education began at the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art and then, from 1930 until 1935, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Arthur B. Carles and Henry McCarter, both important American Modernists known for their heightened use of color. Subsequently, Carton took courses at the Barnes Foundation where he had access to the renowned collection of works by American and European Modernists. Like so many artists of his generation, Carton was immersed in the new ideas and exciting artistic developments of the Avant-garde. His personal evolution brought him to his own signature form of abstraction which is defined by gesture, balance and a truly engaging palette. His first solo exhibition was organized in 1949 at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, quickly followed by shows at Dubin Gallery in Philadelphia and Laurel Gallery in New York.

Ukraine-born American Expressionist Norman Carton has a visually-recognizable style which speaks of a particular era. His formal art education began at the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art and then, from 1930 until 1935, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Arthur B. Carles and Henry McCarter, both important American Modernists known for their heightened use of color. Subsequently, Carton took courses at the Barnes Foundation where he had access to the renowned collection of works by American and European Modernists. Like so many artists of his generation, Carton was immersed in the new ideas and exciting artistic developments of the Avant-garde. His personal evolution brought him to his own signature form of abstraction which is defined by gesture, balance and a truly engaging palette. His first solo exhibition was organized in 1949 at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, quickly followed by shows at Dubin Gallery in Philadelphia and Laurel Gallery in New York.

 

Carton was awarded an impressive commission jointly from the Philadelphia Museum and National Museums of France which provide the opportunity for travel to Europe. Equally as remarkable, the painter received a one-man show at The Sorbonne where he gave lectures in the early 50s. He also participated in several salon shows including Realtiies Nouvelles and the Salon d’Automne, and showed at the Musée d’Art Juif where he was a finalist for the Prix d’Art. His talent as a designer also brought him into the theater world of Paris, creating stages and costumes at the Paris Opera.

 

Upon his return to the States in 1953, Carton’s success continued. He was in the throes of the AbEx movement in New York, showing at the Whitney, (the museum purchased one of his paintings) and his work hung along with that of Joan Mitchell, Franz Kline, Adolph Gottlieb, among others. Martha Jackson, Granite Gallery, Staempfli all showed his work during the next two decades. He exhibited widely participating in more than a hundred exhibitions during his career. Along with his extensive list of shows, he was a devoted teacher throughout his life. His works can be found in many museums. Carton’s artistic talents allowed him to be a muralist, graphic and theater designer, newspaper artist, as well as an innovative and recognized painter.

Works

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Norman Carton at The Martha Jackson Gallery, 1958

Norman Carton's opening reception at The Martha Jackson Gallery for his solo presentation "Norman Carton: Recent Paintings" in the Spring of 1958. Video courtesy of of Benedict and Jacob Carton.

News

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Paint as Experience: Norman Carton: from Ukraine to Philadelphia to New York, bridging Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism in Art & Antiques by William Corwin

Paint as Experience

Norman Carton: from Ukraine to Philadelphia to New York, bridging Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism
Art & Antiques, May/June 2024
Exhibition inspired by Ukrainian artist John Graham occupies his own Brooklyn Heights home - designboom

Exhibition inspired by Ukrainian artist John Graham occupies his own Brooklyn Heights home

designboom, APril 5, 2024
Art Market Updates: Norman Carton: Chromatic Brilliance - American Fine Art Magazine

Art Market Updates

Norman Carton: Chromatic Brilliance
American Fine Art Magazine, November/December
Which Artists Showed with New Galleries in Miami? - Ocula

Which Artists Showed with New Galleries in Miami?

Ocula, December 7, 2022
Here’s Your Go-To Guide to All the Fairs Taking Place During Miami Art Week 2022

Here’s Your Go-To Guide to All the Fairs Taking Place During Miami Art Week 2022

Artnet News, November 25, 2022
Celtic Coins Stolen from German Museum, New York Representative Investigated Over Met Gala Invite, and More: Morning Links for November 23, 2022 - ARTnews

Celtic Coins Stolen from German Museum, New York Representative Investigated Over Met Gala Invite, and More

Morning Links for November 23, 2022
ARTnews, November 23, 2022
Art Industry News: From High Fashion to High Art, the Chicest Medium of the Moment Is… Mud + Other Stories - Artnet News

Art Industry News: From High Fashion to High Art, the Chicest Medium of the Moment Is… Mud + Other Stories

MOVERS & SHAKERS
Artnet News, November 23, 2022
Works by three overlooked Abstract Expressionists, newly represented by Hollis Taggart, head to Art Miami - The Art Newspaper

Works by three overlooked Abstract Expressionists, newly represented by Hollis Taggart, head to Art Miami

The nonagenarian painter Sheila Isham and the estates of Albert Kotin and Norman Carton—all first-generation AbEx artists—are now represented by Taggart, who will show their work at Art Miami
The Art Newspaper, November 22, 2022
Why Secondary Market Galleries Appeal to New and Established Collectors Alike - Artsy

Why Secondary Market Galleries Appeal to New and Established Collectors Alike

Artsy, November 4, 2022
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Publications

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Norman Carton: Chromatic Brilliance, Paintings from the 1940s–60s catalogue
Norman Carton: Chromatic Brilliance, Paintings from the 1940s–60s
$ 40.00
Of the Past and Present: Estates and Contemporary Artists at Hollis Taggart
Of the Past and Present: Estates and Contemporary Artists at Hollis Taggart
$ 40.00
From Provincial Status to International Prominence: American Art of the 1950s
From Provincial Status to International Prominence: American Art of the 1950s
$ 20.00
Wild and Brilliant: The Martha Jackson Gallery and Post-War Art
Wild and Brilliant: The Martha Jackson Gallery and Post-War Art
$ 40.00
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