In the Mind of an Artist: Carlton Brent Thurman

By Ava Somerville

Walking down St. George Street or King Street, it’s easy to get caught up in the movement of the crowd, but every so often, a painting stops you in your tracks. Many of those moments are thanks to St. Augustine artist Carlton Brent Thurman. 

Thurman, originally from up north in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD, grew up thinking Florida was a “magical far off place” that he always heard about growing up. 

He grew up watching Bob Ross’ “Joy of Painting” and by age 9, he was already oil painting. 

In the 1980s, graffiti art really took off and caught Thurman’s eye, and he soon found himself getting into the artform. He got his bachelor’s degree from Boston College in painting, and also studied at John Hopkins University where he was an art teacher for 20 years while living in Maryland. 

“Eventually graffiti adventures took me all over the world, and some of the sensibilities crept into the traditional fine art I was also creating,” he said.

What drew him to St. Augustine was the rich history that comes along with it and its “Moorish revival” architecture. He describes walking around Flagler College like he was “traveling back in time.”

Those early influences, from Bob Ross to graffiti-covered city walls, still shape the work he creates on the streets of St. Augustine.

“Inspiring,” said Olivia Tusso, a sophomore at Flagler College, when asked what she thinks when walking past Thurman’s work. 

“What catches my eye about his paintings is the way that his attention to detail progresses each day that he works on the paintings, and when I am out in town and see him working on it, I am always fascinated by the details that he notices in the scenery,” she said.

When asked about his process, Thurman said that he “starts every painting with a good spot.”

He begins each painting with a warm base, usually reds or yellows, before layering in cooler shadows and gradually building depth. He described the process as creating an atmosphere from the start.

“Then I put down some cool shadows in blue or purples and start to sketch out the composition,” he said. “Then I will add some midtones and with turpentine – used to thin oil paints – and a rag I will wipe away some areas to reveal highlights.”

He said “the hardest part of the process for me is finding that balance sometimes.” 

“In some cases it seems unattainable and the piece falls out of balance and collapses. My strongest pieces are those that find that perfect fulcrum between each mentality”

This struggle for balance also reflects a broader issue with graffiti as a medium. As Thurman points out, ultimately, graffiti is an imperfect medium and lacks permanence. Traditional oil paintings are archival and can last for hundreds of years, and this seems like a more appropriate medium for what I am doing with these paintings.” 

Thurman said moving to Florida transformed his work, bringing “light back” into his paintings, something he compared to Vincent van Gogh’s shift in style after moving south to Arles.

“This piece called ‘Golden Hour’ is representative of my work. This late day scene of Flagler College bathed in rich earth colors and warm glowing light evokes a bygone era and dreamy feel.”

In the painting, warm golden light spills across the building’s facade, casting long shadows and highlighting architectural details that might otherwise go unnoticed. The sky appears soft and glowing, creating a calm, almost nostalgic atmosphere.

He loves how St. Augustine is such an “ancient” place, but never gets old in his eyes. 

But Thurman’s work isn’t just about capturing buildings. It’s about preserving a feeling. He said that he hopes viewers find “joy, beauty, light and peace,” using contrast and color to create scenes that feel both grounded and alive. 

“I want to transport the viewer to a moment of peace and happiness in this amazing place that has stood the tests of time,” he said. “When I was a child we had these old colorized postcards of Florida that belonged to my mother. I always looked at them and she would tell me the stories about the places they were from and tales of old Florida.”

Thurman sees his work as more than just paintings. He describes them as “postcards to a future generation” capturing St. Augustine as it exists today. As the city continues to grow, he believes that his work will preserve moments that may one day be lost.

So the next time you find yourself walking down St. George Street or King Street, caught up in the rush of the crowd, it might be worth slowing down. Because in a city full of history, Thurman isn’t just painting what St. Augustine looks like … he’s preserving what it feels like.