Courtney Salton
Courtney Salton is a Southern contemporary impressionist oil painter. She works in her third floor home studio in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina. She seeks to capture the essence of the moment or memory from her travels of the Carolinas in her pieces. Painting is a meditation for Courtney. When in flow, it is just her, the paint, brushes, and the canvas. When she gets out of groove, she switches mediums (collage, watercolor, painting with cold wax, acrylic, and multimedia) to challenge herself and reignite the creative fuel. She expresses her passion for the process as she creates bold yet loose strokes that are full of texture. The viewer is engaged as they bounce their eyes around the canvas thus experiencing all aspects of the work. The forms are often suggested and inviting the viewer to look further into the the piece. Courtney continues to explore the application of paint and its beauty using contrasting colors to evoke vibrancy, movement, and interest in her current creations. She creates because for her painting is an expression of what she is unable to communicate with words. She seeks to connect with the observer or collectors as her pieces speak to them in a relatable way.
Her love of art in childhood was complemented by lessons at SECCA, the Sawtooth Center for Visual Arts, and the Reynolda House in Winston-Salem, but is mostly self taught. After graduating Saint Mary’s High School in Raleigh, she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the College of Charleston. Courtney subconsciously gathered material soaking in the low country views for her art career years later. Charleston won me over as it is steeped in history and gorgeous architecture. Shortly after graduating, Courtney moved to Charlotte where she began a career in fashion working for the Buyer at Belk, Inc. Around the same time, she met her husband, a Charlotte native. In her late twenties, she transitioned to a career as a residential real estate broker and has kept her license active since 2006. The recession in 2008 combined with the birth of first daughter, then their second in 2010, she decided to spend more time at home with her daughters. It open up time to paint! Her discipline in fine art has thrived at Braitman Studio in the master classes with Andy Braitman and Nicholas Stewart as she loves to be surrounded by other creatives. When she is not painting, her 2 daughters and 3 dogs keep her busy.
Last July, she was invited to sell at Shain Gallery for the first Up-and-Coming Invitational. In April, her work will be displayed for sale at Christ Church Gallery in Charlotte and the Alden Parks “Showhouse in a Showroom” during High Point Spring Market. You will find her at Charlotte Country Day School’s Annual Art Pop Up April and the Charlotte Art League located in May. In June, she plans to display her work in Fritz Porter Design Collectives in Charleston, SC. She regularly volunteers in the community and is active in the Charlotte art scene as a member of the Mint Auxillary, the McColl Center for Art and Innovation, the Charlotte Art League, and the Guild of Charlotte Artists. Courtney has passion for giving back to the community to through her art and has done so recently in the “Art with Heart” Safe Alliance Event at Elder Gallery, “Art in Park” for MPHS Foundation, Mint Museum Auxillary’s Room to Bloom Symposium and Bee Might Gala at Charlotte Country Club, Pat’s Place Blue Jeans and BBQ, The Learning Collaborative’s Green Apple Gig, and Myer Park Presbyterian Church’s Art Auction for youth missions to name a few.
