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By Painting on My Own
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: June 2023
For artist Zach Claxton, learning the intricacies of oil painting was…logical
Zach Claxton is one of those lucky guys who can jump into almost any pool and figure out how to swim. He did that with golf. He did it with art. He was off to a great start with golf, until he read instruction books that told him he was doing everything wrong. Golf got ruined forever.
When his daughter enticed him into oil painting, he decided he’d launch on his own. He figured, just like golf, scrutinizing every painting detail could become an analytical nightmare. It would take all the joy out of painting. So, he never cracked an art book or darkened an art class door. And if you’ve seen his work, it’s clear he can swim in the art pool with all the learned painters just fine.
In 2008, on his birthday, October 26, he participated in his first art show, selling his first painting. He later joined the Art League to be in their shows. Painting for fun turned into a business within his first year, and since then, he’s sold well over 200 paintings.
His works are hanging in homes, businesses and a number of other spaces. As a commission enthusiast, he’s willing to tackle any challenge for any setting …except outside. Plein air is not his calling. He’s very content sitting in his studio, working from reference photos or whatever appears in his window’s horizon.
His first large commission was a 4’ x 4’ painting of clouds and their accompanying atmospherics to decorate a lobby. His current commission is for a 10-foot-long, 20-inch-high piece that will occupy a space above a bookcase. With such a wide span, he decided that four 20”x30” paintings, side-by-side, might be a good solution. The patron agreed, so now Zach is painting four stand-alones that can be abutted end-to-end to make one elongated scene.
Regarding the current commission, he says, “This one comes from the patron’s imagination, and my interpretation . . . a bit out of my comfort zone. But, back to the idea of taking lessons . . . I seem to do better learning by doing on my own. And I’m happy to announce, so far my patron is very satisfied.”
If a commission has been on your yearn-list, contact Zach through his website: zachclaxtonart.com. Or email him at [email protected].
