Carl Medley is a Las Vegas-based visual artist who uses imagery and messaging to inspire viewers to question, understand, and even find humor in the world around them.
For over a decade Carl has created works that scale from the lapel of a jacket to 60ft. buildings. He has installed a number of public art installations for organizations and events like Sentara Hospital, the Something in the Water Festival, and the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has been involved in numerous solo and group exhibitions for institutions like the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, and the Contemporary Arts Network, where he is proud to be a part of the CAN Collection. He has been the recipient of various honors and awards and in 2017 he was awarded a professional fellowship in painting from the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.
For inquiries, contact Carl at carlmedley@mac.com
"Blunt but ambiguous, heroic yet hilariously deflated, [Carl's] works ... emphasize the incongruity between expectations and reality with mismatched imagery and messaging."
- Morgan Laurens, Editor-in-Chief, Not Real Art
Hello. My name is Carl Floyd Medley III and I will eat your pizza if you don't want it.
Thank you for checking out my work. As a child of the 80s, (b. 1981) I grew up with a healthy mix of Choose Your Own Adventure books, cartoon merchandising and a family whose method for dealing with life's trials and tribulations was centered around jokes. After receiving my BFA in Art Studio from Old Dominion University in 2006, I started to use that appreciation for humor in my work and I began to make the kind of work that reminded me of me.
I gradually got involved in more groups shows and festivals and landed my first solo show in 2012. By 2015 I got to do my first mural. I now use my graphic design education and my foundation in realism to turn cultural references on their heads and create narratives ranging from absurd to heartfelt. I enjoy making work that can feel present and impactful to someone while at the same time live on and feel relevant in future years to come. Bold colors, sharp wit, and a balanced composition are what make up most of my work. My love of letters comes from my studies and career as a graphic designer but my art allows me to play in a way that design never could. I'm funny, or at least I am pretty good at pretending to be someone who is funny, and whether you're in on the joke or not, I hope my work connects with you on some level.
I enjoy the freedom of creating work I like and I like who I am when I create. My work has evolved with me over the years and I hope that you continue to come back and check out what I am working on.
Cheers.