My artwork is a synthesis of photography and archaeology. As a young photographer in the 1980s, I found myself drawn towards making images of places with subtle indications of a past human presence. This led to my pursuit of a career in archaeology, which has allowed me to visit many significant historic sites and associated landscapes. Having been trained in photography, I endeavor to document the essence of these places in visual terms. This subtle sense of presence is what I seek in my photography. I’ve applied this approach to a variety of projects over my 40 year career. I have two major types of portfolios that I create – these are film-based photography, typically large or medium format, as well as more impressionistic/abstract digital composite work that draws from film and digital photographs. My artistic influences include photographers Eugene Atget, Clarence John Laughlin, Linda Connor, Edward Weston, Diane Arbus, Paul Caponigro, Fay Godwin, and Francesca Woodman; as well as filmmakers Ingmar Bergman, Werner Herzog, Akira Kurosawa, and Andrei Tarkovsky.   

My photography has been shown in numerous juried, group, and solo exhibitions over the last 40 plus years, and has received a number of awards and honors with numerous invited solo exhibitions at major cultural institutions such as the Center of Southwest Studies in Durango, University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, Farmington Museum, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument Museum, Ute Indian Museum, Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder, Denver Public Library Western Art Gallery, Littleton Town Hall Arts Center; as well as invited group shows at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, Mizel Museum, Durango Arts Center, Arvada Center, Open Shutter Gallery, and finally dozens of juried exhibitions. My filmmaking work has been recognized with screenings at film festivals in the USA, Belgium, and France. I have also lectured extensively on the history of photography, archaeology, visual ethnography, and historic preservation at professional conferences and public symposiums across the country over the last 30 plus years.   I have been a member of the Colorado Photographic Arts Center since 2001, and in 2021 I became a member of Photo Pensato, a collective of photographers. In 2023 I was honored to be accepted as an associate member at Pirate Contemporary Art, one of Denver oldest and highly respected art cooperatives.   - Thomas Carr 2023

Portrait Photo by Michael Gray (Instagram @acirclesquared)

CURATED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2020 - Traces of Home, University of Denver Museum of Anthropology

2019 - Traces of Home, 40 West Gallery, Lakewood, CO

2017 - Conflict on the Plains, Ute Indian Museum, Montrose, CO

2016 - Tree & Leaf, Denver International Airport, Concourse A, Denver

2015 - Expeditions, Western History Art Gallery, Denver Public Library
2009 - Conflict on the Plains, Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, CO
2009 - Conflict on the Plains, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, CO

2008 - Light, Shadow, and Time, Open Shutter Gallery, Durango, CO

2006 - Pueblos of the Ancestral North, University of Denver Museum of Anthropology
2005 - Farmers, Saints, and Tyrants, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, CO
2006 - Presence within Abandonment, BLM Anasazi Heritage Center, Dolores, CO.

2005 - Presence within Abandonment, Farmington Museum, Farmington, NM

2004 - Presence within Abandonment, Center of Southwest Studies, Durango

1995 - Chaco and Bluff, Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado,
1995 - Restless Spirits, Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado,
1984 - Winter Scenes from McAlpine Greenway Park, Queens College, Charlotte

CURATED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 - LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD: Permanent Collection Highlights, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2023 - Photo Pensato, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo, CO

2023 - Immortalized: Lens & Light, Center for the Arts, Evergreen, CO

2017 - Enlightened, National YoungArts Foundation, Miami, FL

2010 - Black and White Photography: Traditional & Contemporary, Arvada Center

2008 - Debating Heritage, University of Denver Museum of Anthropology 

2007 - Ten “Local” Artists Interpret Genocide, Mizel Museum, Denver, CO

2007 – Spirit of the West, Open Shutter Gallery, Durango, CO

2005 - Mirrors and Windows, Durango Arts Center, Durango, CO

1987 - Man-made Environments and Altered Spaces, Republic Bank, Charlotte, NC

SELECTED JURIED EXHIBITIONS

2023 - Member's Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2022 - The Eye of the Camera, Littleton Museum, Littleton, CO

2022 - Exploring the Light, Lone Tree Arts Center, CO

2022 - Trees, New York Center for Photographic Arts, New York, NY

2021 – The Big Picture, Public Art Project, Denver, CO

2021 - The Eye of the Camera, Littleton Museum, Littleton, CO

2020 - Member's Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2020 - The Eye of the Camera, Littleton Museum, Littleton, CO

2019 - Drawing the Line, 40 West Gallery, Denver, CO

2018 - LIES - Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2017 - The Big Picture, various locations including Redline, Denver, CO

2015 - What Never Was...Is, Hinterland Gallery, Denver, CO

2015 - Member's Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2014 – One by One, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO
2013 – Member’s Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Lakewood, CO
2011 – Merge (juried show), Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Lakewood, CO
2011 – Inanimate, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO
2011 – Down the Rabbit Hole, Hinterland Gallery, Denver, CO
2011 – Extra-Ordinary, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO
2010 – Sense of Place, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO
2008 – Current Photography on the Front Range, Sliding Door Gallery, Denver, CO
2008 – In and Out of Focus, Republic Plaza, Denver, CO
2008 – Mindful, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO.
2007 – Wee, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO
2007 - Member's Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2006 – Mask, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO.
2006 - Our Land, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO
2005 – Minimalism, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO.
2005 - The Honest Landscape, FLASH Gallery, Lakewood, CO
2005 - Industrial Strength, Fifth St. Gallery, Pueblo, CO
2002 - Member's Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

2000 - Member's Exhibition, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver, CO

1992 - Southern Visions, Museum of York County, SC

1991 - Southern Visions, Museum of York County, SC

1990 - Southern Visions, Museum of York County, SC

1988 - National Aperture, Associated Artists, Winston Salem, NC

1985 - National Aperture, Associated Artists, Winston Salem, NC
1980 – The Light Factory Members Show, Charlotte, NC

1979 to 1982 - Scholastic Arts, Charlotte, NC 

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

2013 to 2015 - Exhibit committee for Ute Indian Museum, Montrose, CO

2004 to 2013 - Exhibit committee for Ancient Voices, Colorado Stories, and Living West, History Colorado, Denver, Colorado

2008 - Photography 171: a Continuum of Process and Method (co-curator), Denver Public Library

2008 - Images of the Southwest (juror and guest artist), Center of Southwest Studies, Durango, CO

2007 – Capitol Hill People’s Fair, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, Denver, CO

2007 - (Real) Photographic Constructs (co-curator), Metro State Center for Visual Art, Denver, CO

2006 - From Nordenskiöld to Nusbaum: Photography, Archaeology, and Tourism in the Early Years of Mesa Verde National Park (co-curator), Denver Public Library, Denver, CO

FILM FESTIVALS 

2018 - Solitude, Darkness, Light, Solaris Film Festival, Nice, France

2018 - Solitude, Darkness, Light, Durango Independent Film Festival, CO

2017 - Solitude, Darkness, Light, NYTTY film screening, Seattle, WA

2017 - Solitude, Darkness, Light, Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema, Boulder

2005 - A Forgotten Place, Archaeology Channel Film Festival, Eugene, Oregon 

2004 - A Forgotten Place, 5e Festival International du Film Archeologique, Brussels, Belgium 

AWARDS AND HONORS

2022 - Honorable Mention, Trees, New York Center for Photographic Arts

2022 - Honorable Mention, Eye of the Camera exhibition, Littleton Museum

2020 – Honorable Mention, Eye of the Camera exhibition, Littleton Museum

2015 - Juror's Honorable Mention, CPAC Annual Member's Juried Exhibition

2011 - Third Prize, Down the Rabbit Hole exhibit

2008 - Young Arts Magazine, Spring 2008, featured alumni artist

2007 - Westword Magazine Best of Denver Award, for Nordenskiöld to Nusbaum 

2007 - Westword Magazine Best of Denver Award, for Photographic Constructs 

2006 - Capitol Hill People’s Fair, Best of Show for Photography

2005 - Downtown Summer Art Fair, Best of Show for Photography

2003 - Colorado Photographic Arts Center Member’s Show, Juror’s Award

2002 - University of Colorado at Boulder, Tour Anthropology Scholarship

1999 - University of Colorado at Boulder, Tour Anthropology Scholarship

1997 - University of Colorado Museum, Van Riper Grant

1996 - University of Colorado at Boulder, Dean’s Small Grant

1996 – Nation Science Foundation Honorable Mention, Washington, DC

1995 - University of Colorado at Boulder Dean’s Small Grant

1992 - University of North Carolina at Charlotte - Graduated Cum Laude

1992 - University of North Carolina at Charlotte Chancellor's List

1991 - University of North Carolina at Charlotte Chancellor's List

1989 – Museum of York County, Southern Visions exhibition, Third Prize Color 

1982 – National Endowment for Advancement in the Arts, Award in Visual Art

1980 and 1981 - Scholastic Arts, Gold Key Award, Kodak Medallion of Excellence