Carl Joe Williams
October 23th - Nov. 5th, 2025The works of African American artist Carl Joe Williams include multi-media paintings,
sculptures, installations, and interdisciplinary works. His paintings are created by painting found
objects and remaking them as objects of sculpture. Creating work that benefits humanity as a whole is Williams’ goal as an artist. Through his collaborations, Williams can inspire, educate, or bring people together in positive ways. Williams was featured in the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art’s documentary film “State of the Art,” which explored artists working across the country.
Williams is one of the founders of Blights Out, a Creative Capital supported project in New
Orleans along with artists Lisa Sigal and Imani Jacqueline Brown. Blights Out is a community-
and artist-led initiative to activate agency in neighborhood development.
His visual interpretations are enhanced by his vision of art and music as extensions of one
another. An accomplished musician as well as a visual artist, Williams incorporates his musical
compositions into videos and installations. Found objects play an important role in Williams’s
works by becoming elements of a narrative continuum that addresses societal and historical
concerns.
Williams is a founding member of Level Artist Collective, which includes artists Ana Hernandez,
Horton Humble, Rontherin Ratliff, and John Isiah Walton.
Williams attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Art, NOCCA where he received formal
training. Williams continued his studies at Atlanta College of Art earning his BFA.
Williams has had a variety of exhibitions including at the George Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of Art in
Biloxi, Mississippi; at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Arkansas; at Convergence: JMC@P3
Exhibition in conjunction with Prospect 3+ New Orleans, Curated by Deborah Willis and
Sponsored by the Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans Museum of Art, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of
Art, at McKenna Museum of African American Art, Hammonds House Galleries, Atlanta, GA;
permanent public art installations in Atlanta at Sweet Auburn Curb Market (as part of 1996
Summer Olympics) and at the Washington Park Tennis Center. In 2013 he was a recipient of the
Joan Mitchell Center NOLA Studio Artist Residence Program. His work is included in the Crystal
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