PRESTON SAMPSON
"Art is an expression of my personal experience with life. In my work, I have created a rhythmic improvisation of relationships and narrative sequences that are presented to the viewer through an exploration of color. My interest in the ever changing condition of man and his relationships with himself and others, provide the foundation for the various complexities of individual and group dynamics that I feel are vital in my works.
Color is the primary focus of my work and it provides the tone for delivering the image. This is evident in the intuitive flow as well its interaction with paper or canvas surface. These surfaces, in the form of raw canvas or paper void of pigment, are deliberate trials to remind the eye that what it is seeing is a creation from scratch, and that the trail exists from concept to creation.
The figure in perpetual motion, is my metaphor for the unfolding surprise, hope and ascension o the human spirit. Recurring images continue to be spirits or ancestors who protect and give guidance. My aim is to move the viewer into the mood and moment with the use of color and gesture; to feel certain changes, like fleeting moments of memory or dreams. Flecks of color and line are used to give life its streams of consciousness, experiences, and hopes. The sonorous use of color is an effective vehicle to narrate the universal experiences of relationships."
Sampson's illuminating works on un-stretched and un-primed canvas have gained him a national acclaim from private and institutional art collectors.
Born: March 2, 1960, West Palm Beach, FL
Education: BA Studio Arts, University of Maryland at College Park, 1984
Solo Exhibitions
2006 Power and Purpose, International Visions Gallery, Washington, DC
2005 Hot Fun in the Summertime, ZZaj Gallery, New York City
2004 Fascinating Rhythms International Visions Gallery, Washington, DC
2002 Recent Works International Visions Gallery, Washington, DC
2001 Main Street Communications, Washington, DC
1999 International Visions gallery, Washington, DC
Monotypes & Pulp Paintings, Greenbelt Federal Courthouse, Greenbelt, MD
1998 Recent Works, Camille Love Gallery, Atlanta, GA
1997 Explorations & Celebrations, University of Maryland, University College Arts Program Gallery, College Park, MD
1996 Reminiscing, Camille Love Gallery, Atlanta, GA
1995 Recent Works Bagit Gallery, Chicago, IL
1994 The Governor's Club of the Palm Beaches. West Palm Beach, FL
Ascension Gallery, Washington, DC
1993 Remembrance: Negro League Baseball. Sumner School Museum & Archives. Washington, DC
Hughley Gallery & Objects, Atlanta, GA
1992 Pelloon Gallery. Washington, DC
Spiral Gallery. New York, New York
1991 Pelloon Gallery. Washington, DC
Arena Players Gallery, Baltimore, MD
1990 Len de Pas Gallery. Bethesda, MD
DC Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
1989 Sumner School Museum & Archives. Washington, DC
Milestone Gallery, Washington, DC
1988 Martin Luther King Center, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD
F-Clay-Tor Gallery, Washington, DC
NBC Studio. Washington, DC
1985 Arena Players Gallery, Baltimore, MD
Selected Group Exhibitions
2006 Color Sense and Sequence: Preston Sampson, Susan Goldman and Kevin Cole. Legacy Fine Art Group. Bethesda, MD
2005 Collaboration as a Medium: 25 Years of Pyramid Atlantic. Traveling Exhibit. Edison Place Gallery, Washington, DC. Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD
2005 Color Sense & Sequence: Susan Golman/Preston Sampson and Kevin Cole. Legacy Fine Art Group, Bethesda
2004
Fusion One
2003
Dance: Images in Time. International Visions Gallery. Washington, DC
2003 Sheroes & Wonder Women: Celebrating Women who Make A Difference. Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery. Durham, NC
On Common Ground: Two and Three Dimensional Art – Paintings, Photography, and Sculpture. Millennium Arts. Washington, DC
2002 Successions: Prints by African American Artist from the Jean & Robert Steele Collection. University of Maryland Art Gallery. College Park, MD
Rhythm & Blues: Preston Sampson & Kevin Cole. Sandler Hudson Gallery. Atlanta, GA
2001 African American Museum. Dallas, TX
Crosscurrents 2001: The Works of Pyramid Atlantic. University of Maryland Art Gallery. College Park, MD
Dell Pryor Gallery. Detroit, MI
2000 Autumnal Equinox. Iandor Fine Arts. Newark, NJ
African American Emerging Artist. Cravens Gallery, Martha's Vineyard. West Tisbury, MA
Colors. Black Fine Art Exhibition, Navy Pier. Chicago, IL
1999 African American Museum. Dallas, TX
Baltimore Museum of Art. Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair. Baltimore, MD
Thelma Harris Gallery. White Linen Nights. Oakland, CA
The Arts Club of Washington. Pyramid Atlantic Artist.
1998 First World Gallery. Washington, DC
Critical Discoveries. Artist Museum. Washington, DC
1997 Absolut Expressions. Miami, FL
Aphrodisiac. Ascension Gallery. Washington, DC
Have A Cigar Box. Camille Love Gallery. Atlanta, GA
1996 Texaco Presents Olympic Sports Art. King Plow Arts Center. Atlanta, GA
1995 Manpower. Ascension Gallery. Washington, DC
Hand Pulled. Ascension Gallery. Washington, DC
1994 National Black Arts Festival. Atlanta, GA
1993 Portraits, Spirits and Black Sacred Music: Schroeder Cherry-Preston Sampson. James E. Lewis Museum. Morgan State University. Baltimore, MD
Ascension Gallery. Washington, DC
1992 Lockhart & Pettus Gallery: Verna Hart & Preston Sampson. New York City, NY
Pelloon Gallery, Washington, DC
Spiral Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
1991 Bridgette Bake Gallery, Annapolis, MD
Mayor's Mini Gallery, Washington, DC
Pelloon Gallery, Washington, DC
1990 Pelloon Gallery, Washington, DC
Len de Pas Gallery, Washington, DC
1989 Mayor's Mini Gallery, Washington, DC
1988 Mayor's Mini Gallery, Washington, DC
NBC Studio, Washington, DC
1987 F-Clay-Tor Gallery, Washington, DC
1984 West Gallery, University of Maryland. College Park, MD
1981 Aspiration. Nymburu Cultural Center. University of Maryland. College Park, MD
Selected Public & Private Collections
Yale University Art Gallery
Tubman Museum, Macon, GA
David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland
Washington Convention Center
Bank of America
DreamWorks SKG
The Washington Post
District of Columbia Superior Court
National Education Association, Washington, DC
University of Maryland, College Park
Georgetown University
Absolut Vodka
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs
Montreaux Atlanta Music Festival
Palm Beach County Arts Council
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Crowwell & Moring LLP
Zuckert, Scoutt & Rasenberger LLP
Bill & Sharon Campbell
Thomas & Kaneta Cuffie
Dreell Walker
Peggy Cooper Cafritz
Samuel L. Jackson
Maya Angelou
Wendell & Marie Johns
Curtis & Leslie Lewis
Robert & Jean Steele
Mel & Juanita Boyd
Theodore & Thelma Jones
Selected Review & Publications
Mowry. Lisa. Where The Art Is. Better Homes and Gardens – Bedroom & Bath. Summer 2002.
Childs, Adrian. Method and Mission. Exhibition Catalog. Successions: Prints by African American Artists from the Jean and Robert Steele Collection. 2002.
Playbill Magazine. Featured cover artist. The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach, FL. October 2001
Brown-Hardman, Della. Art Exhibit at Craven Gallery Features Wide Variety, African Themes. Vineyard Gazette, September 19, 2000.
Savage, Wayne. A Stroke of Genius: Painter shares hue-mongous talents with county schools and arts center. Prince George's County Gazette. May 20, 1999.
Protzman, Ferdinand. 4 Artist at Greenbelt Courthouse. Washington Post. March 18, 1999.
Protzman, Ferdinand. Critical Discoveries. Washington Post. August 6, 1998.
Montreux Music Festival Atlanta 1998. Featured cover artist.
The International Review of African American Art. A Comprehensive Guide to Collecting African American Art, 1998.
Butters, Patrick. 2 Artist find Absolut Enjoyment using famous ad as subject. Washington Times, April 19, 1998
Schwan, Gary. Preston Sampson: An Artist on the Rise. Palm Beach Post, October 5, 1997
Salerno, Heather. Art and the Bottle. Washington Business, Washington Post. September 1, 1997
Black Enterprise Magazine. Absolut Expressions, Absolut Sampson, September 1997
Oda, Ken. Explorations and Celebrations. Ken Oda's Newsletter (KOAN). March 1997.
Protzman, Ferdinand. The Strength of Sampson. Washington Post. February 22, 1997.
McMillan, Terri. Mama. Featured Cover Artist. Book of the Month Club. 1997
Thomas, LaVonn. Artist Celebrates Culture in Display. Prince George's Journal. February 6, 1997.
McGee, Celia. Full House. Town & Country Magazine. November 1995
Murphy, Anthony. Portfolio. American Visions Magazine. August-September 1995.
Jenkins, Brian. Negro baseball Hall of Fame. America's Black Forum. March 1995.
Playbill Magazine. Featured cover Artist. The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. West Palm Beach, FL. October 1994.
Cryer, Michael. Major League Baseball, Past and Present, An Artist View. WJTV (ABC) On Time. May 1994.
Smithsonian Institute Associate Magazine. Featured cover artist. Pittsburgh Crawford. February 1994.
Dorsey, John. Two artist peer inside black experience: Portraits, Spirits and Black Sacred Music. Baltimore Sun. November 15, 1993.
Cafritz, Peggy Cooper. Best Bet. Remembrance: Negro Baseball Leagues. Sumner School
Museum & Archives. WETA (PBS) Around Town. September 1993.
Cooper, J.J. Childhood Tales Inspire Negro Leagues Exhibit. Atlanta Journal Constitution, August 21, 1993
Stinnett, Donna. An Eye for Art. The Gleaner, Henderson, KY. February 16, 1992.
Jefferson, Stebbins. Celebrating Black Life on Canvas. Palm Beach Post. November 24, 1991
Selected Awards & Grants
2002 Prince William County Public Schools, Artist in Residency
Artworks, Designs in Glass Bus Shelter Project, Arlington County Cultural Affairs
2001 Graham Park Middle School. Artist in Residence
Maryland Capital Park & Planning Arts in Education Residency
2000 Prince George's Arts Council, Arts in Education Residency.
1999 Prince George's Arts Council, Arts in Education Residency. Collaboration: Journey of the Drum
Rockledge Elementary School, Bowie MD. Mural @ 22' x 8'
Prince George's Arts Council Educator of the Year
Maryland Capital Park & Planning Arts in Education Residency
1998 Prince George's Arts Council Grant. Unting Mediums: Painting – Printmaking
1997 Prince George's Arts Council, Arts in Education Residency.
2000 Prince George's Arts Council, Arts in Education Residency.
Sampson uses acrylic paints; his vigorous brush strokes pulsate with rhythm and energy. Sampson explores jazz melodies in the most exuberant paintings of musicians and dancers. His goal is for his figurative portrayals “to emote, touch and move you to the center of it all.” Another reoccurring theme in Samson’s work is the dominant male figure, done in epic and heroic scale, exuding pride and dignity.
In 1997 Sampson was commissioned by Absolut Vodka to create a painting for their award winning ad campaign. Absolut Sampson has been a part of a traveling collection that has made stops in many major cities. Sampson also produced a series of monotypes titled “Critical Discoveries” for which he received recognition from Washington Post.
In some works, this contemporary artist has added to the excitement of his art through the use of the unstructured canvas as an actual medium in his work. "Using the ragged edges of the canvas has enabled me to create more of a feeling of movement to my work, Sampson explained recently. " It also provides the viewer an insight into the actual process used to create the work. It is presented as it was conceived.