Keeping a Watchful Eye

Original Oil

by Calvin Close

Framed Size:  12” x 16”

Artist Statement:

I am from Camarillo, California currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah for the past several years. I grew up in a very creative family. My father, Donald Close was a double major in education/art while he attended college in San Bernardino, California.

I was first exposed to art in high school, but never thought I could make a living as an artist. It wasn’t until I was married, that my wife and I would stroll through art galleries, and I would think to myself, “I could paint that.” It wasn’t until much later in my art career, that I learned it wasn’t that easy! One day while waiting in the dentist office, I came across a National Geographic magazine with the cover story entitled, “The Copyist” which dramatically changed my desire to become an artist. Inside there was an article describing how artists would go to the Louvre in Paris, set up their easels and copy the masters. Their aim was to improve their painting technique and skills.

From then on, I would paint in my spare time in between work and remodeling our homes. This went on for many years, entering boutique shows trying to sell a painting here and there. Later, I realized that I could really benefit from taking some art classes from a local artist that I admired. My first class was from Bonnie Posselli. I lasted a day; embarrassingly spilling all my turpentine on the floor during a full class!

Fast forward several years when I finally retired and decided to take up painting full time. I fell in love with sheep paintings I saw on Instagram from the artist TJ Cunningham. That’s when I made the best decision of my life by signing up for his art classes. His instruction has dramatically improved my skill and love for oil painting!

My dream is to one day travel again to Paris and Italy to paint plein-air!