John Fabian Carlson (1875-1947)
John Carlson was born in Sweden in 1875, but at age twelve immigrated with his family and settled in Buffalo, New York. From youth he was interested in art, and in 1902 began his formal training at the Art Students’ League in New York. There he studied under Frank Vincent DuMond and two years later received a scholarship from what would become the Woodstock Artists Association. There he was tutored by Birge Harrison who became his mentor and friend. Eventually Carlson became the director of the school
Upon leaving the school in 1918, he traveled extensively throughout the western United States and the Canadian Rockies and later, returning to New York, founded the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting in Woodstock. He became known as one of America’s leading Tonalists of the early 20th century, capturing the changing mood of nature. As a writer, teacher and artist, John F. Carlson made significant contributions in his chosen field of landscape art.
Reference note courtesy of Coeur D’Alene Auction.