Birthplace:

Illinois

Education:

American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL
Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art

Selected Awards:

Portrait Society of America
Salon International Annual Exhibits
Award of Distinction, Northern Indiana Arts Association Award of Excellence
Municipal Art League, Chicago
Silver Medal Award for Watercolor, Palette and Chisel
Pastel Society of America
Oil Painters of America
Midwest Pastel Society

Selected Exhibitions:

Portrait Society of America Annual Exhibition
Salon International Annual Exhibition
Talisman Gallery, Bartlesville, OK
Joyce Petter Gallery, Douglas, MI
Nichols Taos Fine Art Gallery, Taos, NM
Oil Painters of America Annual Exhibition
Pastel Society of America Annual Exhibition
Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts
Northern Indiana Arts Association 49th Annual Exhibition

Selected Collections:

Shearson, Lehman, Hutton
Phillips Petroleum
Krasl Art Center Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Muskegon Museum of Art
Grand Rapids Art Museum
Holland Area Arts Council
Many Private Collections throughout U.S. and Europe

After graduation from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Clayton studied at the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts with Richard Schmid. Clayton's career began while still at the American Academy, exhibiting at Jody Kirberger's Talisman Gallery and winning awards from the Midwest Pastel Society, the Palette and Chisel and the Pastel Society of America. He began teaching Saturday classes in Chicago after graduation from art school.

Artist Statement: "My love for painting has always been enhanced by my love to teach. Any artist who thinks they understand painting should try teaching. They will soon realize how little they know. I have always felt that I have a responsibility to teach because I have been given a generous gift from my teachers (i.e. Bill Parks, Ted Smuskiewicz, and Richard Schmid) and it should be passed on to the next generation of painters who share this love of art.