Captive Coal Opening Artist Talk

My retrospective exhibition Captive Coal official opening at the Sharp Museum of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL was on January 19th, 2024 where I gave an Artist Talk to a nice crowd of family, collectors, faculty, students and more than a few folks from the local coal industry. Thanks go out to Wm Weston Stoerger, Curator of Exhibitions, Collectors and Organizers of the Exhibition John and Lucia Hollister, Dean John Politz and my long time partner and wife the artist Jeanne Nemcek. Exhibition runs the full semester until May 10th .

Captive Coal to Open At Sharp Museum

I am very pleased to announce that I will have a one-person exhibition, Captive Coal, that will be presented at the Sharp Museum of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, opening January 16th and on view through May 10th, 2024, this will be a retrospective exhibition covering 30 years of my work that will feature from the very early worker drawings and paintings through to the most recent large-scale paintings on raw canvas. I will give an Artist Talk at the opening and the documentary film,Work at Hand, will be screened during the run of the show at some point. A special thanks goes to Curator of Exhibitions, WM Weston Stoerger and long time collectors and wonderful supporters, John E. and Lucia Hollister.

Captive Coal Retrospective Exhibition of Chicago Artist Michael K. Paxton

2023 Individual Artist Program Awarded

I’m happy to announce that I have received a 2023 Individual Artist Program grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events for both photography of new work and series of accordion folded cards for future exhibitions #DCASEgrants. 

2024 Forthcoming One-person Museum Exhibition Announced

I am very pleased to announce that I will be featured in a one-person retrospective museum exhibition presented by the Sharp Museum of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, in the North Hall Mitchell Gallery.. Opening January 16th, 2024 and on view until May 16th, 2024, an Artist Talk will also be part of the opening of the exhibition. The focus of the exhibition is how coal has informed my work and life. A big thank you goes out to WM Weston Stoerger, Curator of Exhibitions and long time collectors John E. and Lucia Hollister.