Howard Carr (1947-2021) was a child actor starring in television shows such as Leave it to Beaver, The Rifleman, My Three Sons, and The Danny Thomas Show. Happy and impetuous, the epitome of the All-American kid, he left acting at 14 and threw himself into normal school pursuits along with art.

Carr earned a degree at the Chouinard Art School, then served his country in Vietnam. After his military service, he received a fine arts degree in 1974 from California College of Arts and Crafts. While honing his skills in drawing and fine art, he earned his living painting signs, doing billboards, and graphic work in Boulder, Colorado.

In 1976, Carr moved to Santa Cruz, CA where he opened a graphics and sign business and met his future wife, artist Betty Carr, at a dance. They later moved to Boulder, Co, where he taught himself to paint in oils.

Moving to New Mexico was when he finally felt at home. The light and color greatly influenced his paintings as did his former commercial work showing in his quick and flamboyant brushwork.

Known for his landscapes, still life and coastal scenes, Carr’s impressionistic oils reflect clarity and simplicity, ultimately his artistic strengths. He was always experimenting with color and subject matter. He loved artistic drama, the excitement of dynamic lighting, and saw paintings everywhere he looked!

Carr once commented, “Finding fresh inspiration has never been a problem for me, because I don’t dissipate energy in competitiveness or seeking approval. It’s an ongoing quest to perfect what I love most, painting and of course the wife and cat. I believe this is why I have a good collector base. I work hard at making my technique, color, and feeling seem simple by focusing on the important parts of the painting.”

His contributions to the art world were numerous. He authored and illustrated many articles for art and other leading magazines as well as led national and international instructional workshops.