"I would like to be a skilled and consummate draftsman. I try to use a collection of sensuous colors, often revealing mysterious hidden forms. I would love to convey the ability to see between the figures, melding and infusing them into an environment of endless nuances where abstraction and representational images are comfortable in the same space and where passion and humanity resonate. Once I learn to do this well, I will be obligated to pass this on, just as this information has been based on to me. Thank God for our masters!
I also try to offer the rich evidence of love in the composition of ordinary Black people whom I've witnessed in my travels around the world. Men, women and children who are familiar, intimate and engaging have stories written all over them, waiting to be told. My goal is to expose these stories to delight the eye and to satisfy the spirit -- in short, to make them live."
Paul T. Goodnight, Imagemaker Boston, MA 2008
Artist Bio & Statement
Paul Goodnight Artist Biography
31 March 2008 Paul Goodnight, born in Chicago on December 31, 1946 was raised in Boston and Connecticut, discovered early that he had the gift of art.After serving a stint in the Army during the Vietnam War, he returned to Boston where he decided to professionally pursue art as a career.He received his BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in 1975.The college bestowed him an honorable MFA in 1987, recognizing his dedicated work in the arts.Paul has received numerous honors and awards over the years, including the U.S. Sports Academy Artist of the Year in 1996.His work is held in scores of private & institutional collections, including The Smithsonian Institute and Hampton University Museum. Now residing in Boston, Mr. Goodnight was born in Chicago. He received his formal education at Roxbury Community College and Vesper George School of Art in Boston.His studies at the Massachusetts College of Art led to fine arts bachelor and masters degrees. Since 1984, Mr. Goodnight’s work has gained acclaim with exhibitions in the Museum of Fine Art, Boston and Schomberg Institute, New York. His work can also be seen hanging in the Smithsonian and numerous museums around the country and abroad.Mr. Goodnight’s work has also been featured on the sets of The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, ER and The Fresh Prince of Belair to name a few. He was also commissioned to design the stained glass window for the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.In 1996 he was commissioned to design the official commemorative poster for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, and the 1998 World Cup Soccer poster.He is currently working on the triathlon triptych for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games commemorative art. His work has been featured in publications such as Ebony, Architectural Digest, Essence, People, Boston Globe and Décor.Bishop Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou and Samuel L. Jackson are among the many notables who collect Mr. Goodnight’s work. Mr. Goodnight works in acrylic, pastels and other media.He continues to mentor young artists.Mr. Goodnight’s studies continue as he draws his inspiration from his life of world wide travels that include extensive study in Africa, Russia, China, Haiti, Nicaragua and Brazil.He is the proud father of Aziza Robinson-Goodnight who teaches art in a high school in Boston and the partner of Bernice Robinson who he owns and operates Color Circle Art Publishing, a fine art publishing and distribution business in Boston.His online collection of fine art can be viewed at www.colorcircle.com.