Carlton D. Murrell has been painting for over forty years with well over one hundred exhibitions to his credit. As a child growing up in Barbados, Carlton began exploring his artistic talent by drawing and painting the various lifestyles of his Island nation. He began his painting career at 18, inspired by the richness of Caribbean living and the world beyond. He traveled to many distant places in search of a universal sense of art, which led him to immigrate to capital city of art – New York City. While there, Murrell was awarded a scholarship to pursue additional advanced studies at the Art Students League. He later attended the Pan American School of Fine and Pel’s School of Commercial Art and Illustration. He has exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, the National African American Museum, the United Nations and Howard University, as well as numerous galleries throughout the United States.
Master Impressionist painter Claude Monet tremendously influences his painterly style. Drawing on the influence of European Impressionist painters, Murrell’s layering of paints, short strokes and usage of color emerges with a unique painterly style. His ability includes a rare understanding of the effects of light on color. Murrell combines his rich Caribbean heritage with traditional island and urban living to impact upon the viewer thought provoking visual messages.
His works hang in permanent collections of Carver Federal Savings Bank, the Copper Corporation of Chile, South America, Howard University, The Central Bank of Barbados, among others. Mr. Murrell has to his credit received numerous awards, prizes and citations. He has served as curator at art exhibitions at the Community Gallery which was formerly located within the Brooklyn Museum and the Skylight Gallery. He also works his skills as an art consultant and art teacher. His work can be found in the homes of many collectors in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and South America.
