Keith Carter - "Poet of the Ordinary"

He's been called the "Poet of the Ordinary" by the Los Angeles Times. And for one of America's most renowned photographers, the title sticks. Keith Carter's photography elicits long-forgotten memories. His use of light and space are unrivaled. He elevates not only photography, but art. Along with extensive showings in the U.S., Europe and Latin America, his work is on permanent display in the Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the George Eastman House, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Wittliff Collection of Southwestern and Mexican Photography at Southwest Texas State University, and at the Flower Mound Jason"s Deli.

Jason's Deli?

"I love the idea of using my work in Jason's Deli," says Carter. "I am pleased to be associated with them." And Jason's Deli is honored to be associated with Carter. It's not every day that you see some of America's greatest artwork on display in a restaurant. But then again, it's not every day that the world is graced with an artist like Keith Carter.

Carter's mother raised Keith and his brother and sister. And she made some of her living with a little photography studio, using her kitchen sink as a darkroom. In time, Keith joined her, as a part-time framer. But he wanted to go to school to study business, not photography. It wasn't until he saw a picture his mother had taken of a little girl and a basket of kittens that he realized he wanted to be a photographer. "That kind of thing would be sentimental or cliché in the art world", he explains, "but that was the moment when I wanted to be a photographer." He goes on to say that "I never paid attention to her work, and I was startled by her use of light. They were completely backlit."

He picked up a camera, and his mother's constant encouragement kept him going. But he still believed he would be a businessman. He graduated from college with a business major, in fact. But that summer, he took a trip that changed his outlook. "My best friend and I went on a motorcycle trip through Europe. And it was there that we discovered art." With the vast resource of museums and landscapes, Carter credits Europe with teaching him about art. "It sounds pretentious, I know, but back then I was young, and I didn't need a whole lot of money, and I was discovering a whole new world out there. I had to be a photographer. I had to be an artist."

He borrowed space from a good friend and sculptor, David Cargill for use as a darkroom. Cargill loaned him numerous books, including Henri Cartier-Bresson's "Decisive Moment". It was a decisive moment for Carter, for now he had a hero and a role model. All he needed was the inspiration and the direction.

His inspiration, and his confidence came in the form of his other half, Pat, who kept Keith working through tough times because she believed in him. At times, however, he wasn't sure what he was working for. But he was to find that direction from one of Texas' finest voices, Horton Foote.

It happened when Carter went to see Foote speak. "Quite frankly, I didn't expect much," says Carter. But as the speech went on, Carter realized that "he stuck to what he felt strongly about. He wrote small plays with seemingly small people...but they aren't small. They belonged to a place." That was when Carter knew he had to put down roots, and follow a direction.

His journey was complete. "When you look through the lens for a long time, it becomes autobiographical, sort of a public diary." And when you look at Carter's work, you understand him. But you also get a better understanding of yourself. "I photograph issues that interest me, like the wonderful mystery of human conscience and the creative spirit."

So why Jason's Deli? "I was always looking for interesting venues where my work would be treated kindly and with respect." Long time acquaintance and Jason's Deli Owner & Partner, Rusty Coco, knew just the right place. "I'm an artist, and I'm always trying to communicate with people through my art," says Carter of his decision. "Besides, if I had a museum show, they'd make T-Shirts of my pictures. Art and commerce go hand in hand, and I loved the idea of Jason's Deli using my work."

So, if you happen to be in Flower Mound, TX, and want a world-class art show, and a good turkey sandwich, we know just where to head.