Carl Knickerbocker’s “Incomplete Guide to the Suburban Primitive” debuted at HCC Ybor’s Performing Arts Building, and will end September 24. Knickerbocker lives in Oviedo, Florida and many fans and critics consider his work to have a direct reflection of his home and surrounding areas in Central Florida.

  Gary Monroe, an art critic, writes “Knickerbocker’s art provides us with a paradox that is simultaneously entertaining and enlightening.”

  Knickerbocker describes his style of work as Suburban Primitive.

  Knickerbocker was 30 before he began to paint and develop his talent. “I’m a self-taught artist,” he adds.

  The paintings are acrylic on canvas, and sometimes paints on vinyl magnet and put them on his car.

  Knickerbocker finds inspiration from his everyday life. He says, “I paint what I know or what I think I know.”

  However, he doesn’t just limit himself to creating art pieces, he also produces short films. He’s been making short videos for the last few years as a one man crew. “I shoot, edit, and do the soundtrack, and for the most part it’s a one man operation.”

  Knickerbocker is a pioneer in the Suburban Primitive movement. A term he coined to describe his new art style. He says, “Suburban Primitive is a made up thing, it was around 1998 or thereabouts that I was fooling around with names to label this style of art.”

Matthew Flanagan

  As talented as he is, Knickerbocker developed his artistic abilities later in life, rather than being born an artist. Having only discovered his talent at 30, he was a bit hesitant to enter the art scene, and states that his talents were learned.

  Whenever he starts a new piece, he begins to sketch it out on a notebook with pencil or charcoal then moves on create a larger rough draft on a canvas. The final step is under-painting, and then later he produces a finished product.

  Carolyn Kossar says “Knickerbocker has been sending me postcards for the last eight years. I’ve saved these cards forever because I really like his work. This year when writing my grant, I said, “Let’s do Carl.”

  After the exhibit ends, Knickerbocker will return to his home to continue working on new pieces opportunities.

  Look for more of his Suburban Primitave art and videos on his website: carlknickerbocker.com.