Jon Carsman (1944-1987) was born in 1944 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. Growing up with the Appalachian Mountains for a back drop, it was easy for him to draw inspiration from his surroundings. His usage of brilliantly intense color became his trademark. His amazing nature scenes are a blend of realism and fantasy. To quote the artist, "I want, with the woodland scenes, to create certain phenomena that take place in nature. I want to paint wonderful pools of water with shimmering reflections."

Carsman's paintings reflect the resurgence of American realism in art; realism not as an identifiable technique or style but an attitude, but a view of the world that offers perception without artifice.