Biography
In the winter of 1999 a curator at the Smithsonian Center for African American
History and Culture placed a call to artist Alvin Clayton. That call conveyed
an honor that was once only a dream. Clayton was invited to be part of a
commemorative installation entitled "Location and Spirituality in African American Art"
which had a six-month run at one of the country's most revered galleries.
Before showing at the Smithsonian, Clayton's vivid Matisse-inspired portrayals of interiors, jazz musicians and seascapes had garnered noted exposure. In 1992, he landed his first solo show at the Lee Arthur Gallery in New York's Soho. Buzz about the Caribbean-born painter whose face was a fixture in fashion magazines swelled when CNN's "Style with Elsa Klench" and the Japanese TV show "What's Up in New York" visited Clayton's studio to introduce his work to the world.
"As an African American Artist, I am compelled to be bold in the use of colors and move away from stereotypical images. My images are positive, classic, strong, well-groomed people of color. My subjects are often proud, determined people united yet struggle with global issues. Still I want the images to embrace style, love of family, diversity, education, tradition, gardens, colorful fabrics….elements not just for the privileged Europeans. The finished work serves as a positive reflection of who we are as a collective group, within human family – a sort of open book where the rest of the world continues to view our beauty, our essence, our legacy."
A soccer scholarship was Clayton's passport to Mount St. Mary's University in Emmetsburg, Maryland, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Drafted to play professionally upon graduation, Clayton's plans were derailed when the North American Soccer League folded. An offer to model for a photographer steered Clayton to his first modeling contract with Wilhelmina in New York. Within a few months his clean-cut looks and engaging smile were the focus of fashion editorials in GQ, Vogue, Glamour, Elle, Esquire, Details, French Vogue and Ebony Man, in addition to a slew of fashion catalogues and print campaigns.
Clayton can thank those European modeling assignments that afforded him the initial exposure to the masters and the techniques of the post-Impressionist movement. Henri Matisse's saturated palette being the most profound influence. Clayton lived in Paris for three years studying the masters between modeling jobs.
In 1993, Clayton moved to California and landed a few scene-stealing cameos for his still life’s and portraits. Showtime's original movie "Run for the Dream: The Gail Deavers Story", "Any Day Now", "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", and "The Score", are among the TV and film productions Clayton's work have been commissioned to adorn.
Among the collectors of his work Clayton lists: actors Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Robert De Niro, Don Cheadle, Lynn Whitfield, Roscoe Lee Browne, Robert Townsend, Lorraine Toussaint, CC Pounder, Kenny Lattimore, photographer Peggy Sirota, King/Drew Medical Center, NYU Michael Schlesinger, Janet Botaish, Ken and Donna Gilbert, Janice Huff, Dianne Houston, and Ken and Kathryn Chenault.
Clayton, his wife Gwen, and their three children reside in the suburban tranquility of New York's Westchester County.
--Sean Drakes