CLAYTON MITROPOULOS – Narrative

Born in New York City in 1953. Starting in 1970 I began college. The first two years I attended the Maryland Institute College of Art. In 1973, I continued my education at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, making me an early pioneer of artists living in downtown loft buildings. Luckily, I caught the end of an era living the Bohemian artist life in lower Manhattan.

Before deciding to be an oil painter I had aspirations of becoming an actor, geologist and race car driver. What changed all that and sealed the commitment to become a painter was encouraged by Professor Navaretta whom I studied art history with while at Maryland Institute. The first day of his lecture class he made this statement “artists are not needed as they were in the past before the discovery of photography. Furthermore, most of you won’t continue pursuing a career as painters or sculptors.” His statement made becoming a painter more enticing.

Today and for the past thirty years I’ve worked on easels using techniques from 14th Century oil painters. I’ve successfully developed my own language using the image of heads as my primary subject. I use little to no visual references. The images come from a stream of consciousness approach to creativity. I can record 21st Century events using heads as my subject matter that range from extreme horror to beautiful interpretations of women. If I choose to continue to work in this fashion I will have subject matter that will last me for the rest of my life.

So, what is my style called? A blogger once called me out as being a contemporary primitive. I can live with that, but, it’s not up to me to define it.