Carl Kunz

The first time Carl picked up a camera, he was hooked. He began his art education at Orange Coast College, in California. After two years, he transferred to Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design and received a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts in 1991. Initially, his career path was as a fashion & portrait photographer in Los Angeles and then in Paris. Experiencing the City of Light and being surrounded by incredible art, Carl gradually became more interested in painting as a medium of expression. With the movement of photography into the digital realm, he now finds the challenge of painting much more appealing.
While Carl has always enjoyed portraiture best, his style is eclectic and cannot be categorized. He prefers to paint what moves him rather than stick to any particular style.
Carl began thinking about his album cover project when talking with some kids who said they didn’t know about vinyl albums. “I thought this was a shame because my generation grew up not only listening to these albums but poring over the artwork and liner notes. We memorized the visuals to the extent that they were as familiar as the lyrics of the songs.” And so, he decided to interpret some of the more iconic albums of our time using heavily embossed oil. “I tried to create images that, when you stand back 8 feet it looks like a photograph, but when you step in close you see the thick paint and texture. There’s a depth of field when you view the piece up close that ultimately makes the paint a subject as much as the work of art. My goal is to pay homage to the artists who created these incredible works. I hope I’ve captured their spirit.”
ROCK STAR gallery exclusively represents Carl’s iconic album covers. We welcome commissions.