A Work of Art

Local artist James Von Carter's art work is on public display at the Harrison Public Library until June 4.

The exhibit is appropriately entitled, "Visions, Values, & Views." His art exhibits the serious side of life, in "Struggle", as well as the joy of the birth of a son in his noted work, "Father and Son."  His art is collection of paintings and drawings and is also available for sale.

Von Carter has been an artist all his life and is  self-taught. He resides in Cortlandt Manor and was born in Harlem.  He discovered his artistic talent at an early age while attending elementary school. His teachers recognized his talent by his doodlings on his classwork and even test papers.  Class projects and talent shows also provided the first of many platforms for him to share his gift.

Von Carter's work was chosen to display at the library by a panel of judges from the Harrison Arts Council. The panel selects one artist per month to display their art work at the library.

" Usually you have to schedule it a year ahead because many local artists want their art work displayed," he said.  "If they feel that your art is something worthy, they will give you a date to display your work."

He described what his art work is all about.

"The artwork is a variety of different mediums and different things that I have witnessed in life," Von Carter said. "Some art work has to do with my relatives who passed away. I wanted to show a variety of artwork of different mediums that would touch everybody-and it was chosen because it was a jury selection.  A jury means that you have a panel of judges who view your work and if they approve of it you can give a show and that's how I got to have it at the Harrison Library."

Von Carter said his "soulmate" and fiancee' Joan and other people in his life inspired some of his artwork. "I also had three aunts in their 90s that passed away so some of the artwork is in honor of them, my father who passed was a very religious man that's how the drawing, "Prayer of Hands" came about, and I've always been fascinated by the continent of Africa so I did a lot of artwork pertaining to Africa."

After Harrison, his next three art shows in Westchester will be in Greenburgh, Yonkers, and Larchmont and then in Chelsea in New York City.

He mentioned some of his favorite pieces of art that he created.

"I have several favorites, one of them is the "Eyes of Africa" then  "The Alley" of the woman standing in the alley, "The Ballerina",  "The Seascape" with the boat, one of my new favorites is the "Abstract" with the vibrant colors."

"I want to have as many  art shows as I can because they expose my art a great deal," Von Carter said. "I hope everybody will enjoy it."

For more information on James Von Carter's art show, contact the Harrison Public Library at (914) 835-0324 or log on to http://www.harrisonpl.org.