Rail & Stile is honored to partner with number of skilled and talented artisans who are experts of their craft. Meet Brian Carter, one of Rail + Stile's talented artisans.
For Atlanta-based visual artist, Brian Carter, the imperfect and irregular are beautiful. His artist’s eye is attuned to what most of us fail to notice in our everyday surroundings, and he is able to translate this vision into the shapes and patterns that energize his work.
It is important to Carter that the artist’s hand is clearly visible in his designs. Stripes, Greek key, fretwork, abstract florals – all have a hand-drawn, organic quality that adds depth and interest. Even his designs that are inspired by traditional motifs feel completely fresh, thanks to his unique approach to line, texture and color and play with negative and positive space.
Pattern has captivated him throughout his life. In fact, he distinctly remembers studying patterns and repetitive forms as a child, fascinated by a dress his mother wore and by a favorite quilt. Ever since taking a class in silk screening as a fine art student, Carter has been drawn to pattern on fabric. He appreciates the intimacy that fabric brings to design – the personal contact with it as clothing or on furniture. Although primarily an artist in collage, watercolor and decorative surfaces, his passion is exploring the intersection of art with human interaction.
Carter has collaborated with legendary luxury textile house Jim Thompson Fabrics on its Studio B brand, with four collections to date: Debut, Colorbox, Sketchbook, and Pattern Play. Each collection showcases his remarkable ability to seamlessly mix various mediums, including paint, ink and pencil, and techniques such as stamping and brushwork to create unique effects. His approach to developing a collection is atypical in that he does not start with a theme; rather, his inspirations are varied and his ideas evolve into themes through his process of exploration and hands-on making. Most important to him is that his fabric designs communicate the high level of craftsmanship and evoke a comfortable, effortless and relaxed feeling.
In addition to his fine art and fabric collections, Carter collaborates closely with leading designers in the Atlanta area and has been featured in several national publications.
Cheers,
Kelly Schupp
Co-Owner + Curator