Calvin Close, a Salt Lake City-based oil painter, discovered his passion for art later in life. Though exposed to creativity by his father, it wasn’t until he and his wife frequented galleries that he felt inspired to paint. A National Geographic article on Louvre copyists further fueled his artistic journey.  While balancing work and home renovations, Calvin painted in his spare time, occasionally selling pieces and seeking formal training. Navigating the local art community came with its challenges, but he persisted, refining his skills and finding his place as a painter.  

Upon retirement, he found his niche in oil painting, drawn to its playfulness. A landscape painter at heart, he captures nature’s shifting light and atmosphere with expressive brushwork and textured layers. Influenced by artists like T.J. Cunningham, he continues to refine his craft and dreams of painting en plein air in Paris and Italy.