Clayton Colvin (born 1976) is an American

abstract painter Abstract art uses visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19t ...

multimedia artist Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to traditio ...

collagist Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an Assemblage (art), assemblage of different forms, thus creat ...

, and

curator A curator (from la, cura, meaning "to take care") is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the parti ...

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...

who lives and works in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...

Education

Colvin received a BA in Art History from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

in 1999 and an MA Ed. in Art Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2003. He received his

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admini ...

(MFA) degree in painting from the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...

in Tuscaloosa, AL in 2005. Colvin interned for Agnes, a photography art gallery in Birmingham, AL for several summers while attending University. As an undergraduate he interned for the Jack Tilton Gallery in

New York City, NY New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

Art

Colvin is represented by

Guido Maus Guido Maus (born 5 November 1964, Malmedy) is a Belgium, Belgian-born gallery owner, gallerist, curator, and long-time collector of contemporary art. He is currently living and working in Birmingham, Alabama. Gallery In early 2010, Maus opened bet ...

, beta pictoris gallery / Maus Contemporary in Birmingham, AL. His 2013 exhibit at the gallery was reviewed in

Art in America ''Art in America'' is an illustrated monthly, international magazine concentrating on the contemporary art world in the United States, including profiles of artists and genres, updates about art movements, show reviews and event schedules. It i ...

by Cinque Hicks. Colvin has exhibited at the launch F18 gallery in New York City, NY and the

Mobile Museum of Art The Mobile Museum of Art (MMofA) is an art museum located in Mobile, Alabama. It features extensive art collections from the United States, Europe, and non-western art. The museum hosts exhibitions, multi-disciplinary programs (including film, po ...

in 2014. Colvin was included in "Politics, Politics: Nice Artists Explore the Political Landscape" curated by

Anne Arrasmith Anne Harper Arrasmith (February 20, 1946 – February 1, 2017) was an American artist and curator who lived and worked in Birmingham, Alabama. She co-founded and operated along with Peter Prinz the not-for-profit project ''Space One Eleven.'' Ar ...

and Peter Prinz of Space One Eleven in Birmingham. Colvin's work was part of "Contour: The Definitive Line" curated by

Jon Coffelt Johnny Lee Coffelt born (May 16, 1963) is an American artist who lives and works in Brooklyn New York City. Coffelt paints, sculpts, sews, makes Artist's books, book arts, and curates art exhibitions. Background Coffelt was born to Dorcas Ann (ma ...

. Colvin's work is included in the permanent collection of the Birmingham Museum of Art, the

, and the

High Museum of Art The High Museum of Art (colloquially the High) is the largest museum for visual art in the Southeastern United States. Located in Atlanta, Georgia (on Peachtree Street in Midtown, the city's arts district), the High is 312,000 square feet (28, ...

Quotes about Colvin

* "Clayton Colvin's work is an attempt to come to terms with the multitude of experiences we deal with day to day; a way of gaining insight, a way of understanding the present. His work is an effort to order, (re)present and mark his existence". - Brian Bishop (University of Alabama) *"Clayton Colvin's mixed media canvases and sketches are heavily coated with a clear vinyl that has the look of solidified gel. Isolated words are scribbled, sketchy lines and restless black arrows meander across a surface that suggests objects but have no real identity. On occasion, Colvin labels his works as "Untitled" and then gives them titles in parentheses, such as "Metamorphosis," "Space Cadet" and "Ambassador," hinting at content but suggesting is content incidental to intent". - James R. Nelson, critic for The Birmingham News, 2006.Artist's views presented in clear, rational framework, Review of Politics, Politics by James R. Nelson, The Birmingham News, May 7th, 2006 *" Fragility and ephemerality are guiding principles in Clayton Colvin's art. Playing with pattern and perception to address these concepts, Colvin creates loose, geometric imagery that combines drawing, painting, and textiles. In fact, Colvin does not distinguish between drawing and painting and purposefully shifts from one to the other in abstract works that fluctuate from formal to expressive. With subtle and playful sense of humor, the artist puts humanity at the center of his work. He explains, "I am interested in feelings, flawed and visceral. I am fragile. I am amazed. I am thankful. It is dirty stuff. It is human. It plays sometimes at control and pixel perfection, and its failure reveals the exact element I want to express. Merging painted brushstrokes with drawn marks while adding and erasing layers, Colvin finds inspiration in how we consume images, often now mediated through cell phone cameras (...) he deconstructs everyday patterns and digitization found in technology to its base shapes and colors to focus on movement and energy in works that become transcendent. " - Jennifer Jankauskas, Curator of Art,

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is a museum located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, featuring several art collections. The permanent collection includes examples of 19th- and 20th-century American paintings and sculpture, Southern regional art, Ol ...

, 2018.

Notes

External links

Clayton Colvin web sitefour painters Clayton Colvin - Eugene James Martin - Leslie Smith III - Odili Donald Odita ! a curatorial project at Volta10 Basel, SwitzerlandClayton Colvin's review in Art Forum
by Rowan Ricardo Phillips
Clayton Colvin's review in Art of America
by Cinque Hicks
Photographic record of a visit to Colvin's studio

Feature story on Clayton Colvin in The Magazine of Metro Birmingham
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colvin, Clayton Living people 21st-century American painters Artists from New York (state) Artists from Louisiana New York University alumni Postmodern artists American art curators Artists from Birmingham, Alabama Painters from Alabama 1976 births American male painters