Artist Statement and Bio
CURRICULUM VITAE
CLAYTON J. SINGLETON
3620 South Warwick Circle
Norfolk, Virginia 23513
(757) 840-5636
claytonsingletonfineart@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Master of Education
Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia 2002
Bachelor of Arts with Pre-K – 12 Teaching Certification
Virginia Wesleyan University, Virginia Beach, Virginia 1994
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
August 2026 – Present St. Helena Elementary School
Sherwood Forest Elementary School
Art Teacher
Norfolk Public Schools Art Department
Art Support/ Art Teacher Mentor
August 2025 – December 2025 Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia
Assistant Adjunct Professor
July 2002 – July 2024 Lake Taylor High School
Norfolk, Virginia
Fine Arts Chairman, AP Studio Arts Teacher
September 2013 – 2016 Cambridge College
Chesapeake, VA
Adjunct Professor
July 1999 – June 2002 Azalea Gardens Middle School
Norfolk, Virginia
Art Teacher
August 1994 – June 1999 Bowling Park Elementary
Norfolk, Virginia
Art Teacher
August 1996 – June 1997 Poplar Halls Elementary
Norfolk, Virginia
Art Teacher
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Group Exhibition
Nine Eighteen Nine Gallery, Crossing Borders/ We Are All Immigrants
(November 2024 – January 2025)
Group Exhibition
Mahogany Gallery, The 2024 BUTTER Fine Art Fair (August 2024 – September 2024)
Group Exhibition
Mahogany Gallery, Juneteenth a Visual Art and Historical Event (June 2022 – July 2022)
Group Exhibition
Nine Eighteen Nine Gallery, Hair (May 2022 – June2022)
Group Exhibition
Portsmouth Arts and Cultural Center, The Soul Finger Project (March 2022- June 2022)
Solo Exhibition Off Site Gallery, Norfolk Republic (July 2021 – August 2021)
Group Exhibition
Hermitage Museum & Gardens, Work in Progress: 13 Murals for Right Now,
(June 2022 – October 2022)
Group Exhibition
d’ART Center, Tribute, (April 2021)
Group Exhibition
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Nourish (February – June 2021)
Group Exhibition
VAMOCA Satellite Gallery, First Course (November 2020-July 2021)
Something In The Water Mural Artist, You Are The Future of Love (April 2019)
Touring Solo Exhibition Future Love Paradise
Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, Thomas Nelson Community College, Virginia Wesleyan University
Future Love Paradise (January 2017 – January 2019)
Solo Exhibition
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, LOVE OF THE GAME (April – June 2016)
Solo Exhibition
James Wise Gallery, Cultural Shift (January -February 2016)
Solo/ Group Exhibition
Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Valedictorian/ Looking Both Ways (January – March 2015)
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
The Role of Art in Social Justice and Social Change Panelist, April 2025
Beauty of Our Lives, Jamestown Settlement, August 2024
“Art Saved My Life,” Hermitage Museum, August 2022
First American Remembrance, Jamestown Settlement, August 2022
Society of XXV, April 2022
Food insecurity in Hampton Roads Panelist, April 2021
“Audacity of Authenticity,” Virginia Beach Middle, VA Beach, 2021
“Studios, Stages, Students: real reasons we keep coming back” Webinar Virginia Department of Education. Virginia Fine Arts teachers. 2020
“People With A Passion” Keynote address Norfolk Public Schools Convocation. Scope, Norfolk, VA 2014
NOTABLE COLLECTIONS
Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts
City of Norfolk
Dollar Tree Corporation
Reynolds Community College
Thomas Nelson Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Wesleyan University
The American Theatre
Kevin Cole Collection
Quincy Lee Collection
Robert Hewitt Jr Collection
Cassandra Wilson, Jazz Artist
Bern Nadette Stanis, Actor (Thelma from Good Times)
PUBLIC ART
President’s Welcome, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA 2021
Service Not Severe, Hermitage Museum, Norfolk, VA 2021
Proud, High St and Washington St, Portsmouth, VA 2021
Food Insecure is Health Insecure, Suffolk, VA 2021
CommUNITY, VAMOCA, Virginia Beach, VA 2020
Dream an Awesome Dream, Virginia Beach, VA 2020
Black Lives More Than Matter, Magazine Lane, Norfolk, VA 2020
Dream Dream Work Work, Purpose Park, Church St and Nicholson Norfolk VA 2020
Future of Love, SITW VA Beach Middle School Virginia Beach VA 2019
Streets of Dreams, TWP, Church St Norfolk VA 2018
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Excellent Educators, WAVY 10, 2024
The New York Times, May 2023
StudioNoize Podcast, April 2022
Mahogany Gallery Podcast, March 2022
Nourish Documentary, PBS/WHRO, May 2021
Creative Corner with Symone Davis, interview, May 2021
Art and BS Podcast, May 2021
Tea With Kea Podcast, Everyone’s An Artist, May 2021
Coastal Virginia, Essay, Hunger for Change, April 2021
Distinction Magazine, There Is A Beautiful Black Man, February/ March 2021
Virginia Department of Education, Virginia History Curriculum, January 2021
There’s A Beautiful Black Man, WTKR, June 2020
I See You, Sigmon Taylor Photography, January 2020
Hunter’s Living with Art, June 2019
Curate: How Art Can Reveal Humanity, PBS/WHRO, 2017
SELECTED AWARDS
First Place, d’ART Center, Tribute Exhibition, April 2021
VEER Magazine Mural Artist of the Year, 2020
Award of Distinction, Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, 2019
African American Creative Community Series, Eye of the Artist Award 2019
Distinguished Alumni Award, Virginia Wesleyan University, 2018
CURATOR
LIGHT FROM ALL SIDES, Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, January – March 2021
NOW: African American Artists in Tidewater, Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Co-curator with James Warwick Jones, May 2017
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Nairobi, Kenya, Zawadi Artist Exchange, April 2023 (Cancelled by organizers in Kenya)
Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, Artist is Residence, July 2022ARTIST STATEMENT
You are the author of your life. My work reminds and encourages each of us to dream, develop, delight and deliver a life you love living. As an artist deeply engaged in the exploration of authorship and the intricate narratives of our lives, my work serves as a visual tapestry woven from threads of education, aspiration, courage, perseverance, and beauty. Each piece is a testament to the journey we all undertake, reflecting the myriad factors that shape our identities and outcomes.
Central to my artistic process is the method of layering and juxtaposition. I begin with a foundational layer that speaks to belonging, followed by a quilting layer crafted using handmade stamps, which adds depth and texture. This is succeeded by a flourishing layer of paint, culminating in an authentic expression through stream of consciousness writing. This deliberate layering reflects the acceptance of our past—acknowledging that yesterday shapes today.
The resulting compositions feature raised paint and rich textures that transform the surface into a visual language of tattoos and scarification, symbolizing the indelible marks of our experiences. Each layer embodies a story, an event, a moment of creation, subtraction, and retrieval that collectively defines the self.
My work resonates with my philosophy of life: “hidden histories lie beneath the surface of our current existence,” and “progress is forged through the lessons learned from our past; there is no path back to yesterday.” Through this lens, I invite viewers to engage with the complexities of their own narratives, encouraging a dialogue that transcends mere observation and fosters a deeper understanding of the human experience.
BIO
Clayton Singleton is a dynamic force in the realms of verbal and visual art, exuding a palpable passion that resonates with everyone he encounters. A resident of Virginia, Clayton's work serves as a source of inspiration, motivation, and education for diverse audiences. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and PreK-12 certification in Art Education from Virginia Wesleyan University, followed by a Master of Education from Regent University.
Clayton’s commitment to the arts extends beyond traditional education; he actively engages with teenagers, community organizations, and children on the autism spectrum. His creativity has shone through in notable projects, such as designing sets for The Virginia Opera’s productions of *Porgy and Bess* and *Freedom’s Journey*. His leadership roles include serving on the Norfolk Arts Commission, the d’ART Center Board of Directors, and currently, as a board member of The Hermitage Museum and Gardens.
His artistic contributions have garnered attention in prestigious publications, including *The Virginian-Pilot*, *Distinction Magazine*, *Time*, and *The New York Times*. Recently, he was honored as an artist-in-residence at The Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts in St. Croix, USVI.
Clayton's excellence in education has been recognized multiple times, earning him the title of Teacher of the Year five times—once at both the elementary and middle school levels, and three times at the high school level. Most recently, he was awarded Norfolk Public Schools’ City-Wide Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024.
His artistic footprint includes participation in group exhibitions at esteemed venues such as The Chrysler Museum of Art, the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, and The Barry Art Museum, as well as The Hermitage Museum and Gardens. He has also created public murals, received numerous accolades, and played an active role as a juror and curator for various solo and group exhibitions. Additionally, Clayton is set to join the Zawadi International Artists Exchange, traveling to Amsterdam, Paris, and Nairobi, Kenya in 2024, further expanding his artistic horizons and global impact.
Man wearing glasses and a white shirt posing in front of a plain background.