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

Interpolated Opens

My one-person exhibition Interpolate opens September 12th and will be on view with at the University Art Gallery of Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois until October 19th. This exhibition will feature my large-scale Interpolations works on canvas and a few midsize charcoal on paper drawings. Thanks to Director Tyler Hennings for this opportunity to share my work with the WIU art students, faculty and folks of Macomb. Shown is a detail of Interpolations #11

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.

Mediating Between the Senses

Mediating Between the Senses exhibition was on view at MU Gallery Chicago where my newest large-scale paintings were presented from April 8th through April 30th. Shown here is me giving an Artist Talk in front of one of these works Limpid.

Source: https://www.muartgallery.com/mkp-artist-pa...

Artist Interview Published In Voyage Chicago

As part of their Thought-Provokers Series Voyage Chicago has just published an artist interview with me that featured images of my most recent work plus this photo taken by Jeanne Nemcek of me standing in front of my latest large-scale painting in progress.

Head shot with Black Lung 2 in progress.jpg

The Art of The Eye Exhibition

I am pleased to be included in the group exhibition The Art of The Eye that opens March 31st at the new Kenosha Creative Space, WI. I will be showing one of my newest works on paper that is based on a slide section of the effects of Black Lung on coal miners from my native West Virginia. Shown Round Drawing, 2018, 26" x 20", graphite,watercolor, acrylic and flashe on paper. Judged and Curated by Diane Levesque and Kristen Bartel, I also send a big thank you to David Jones and Marilyn Propp. 

Round Drawing.jpg