My name is Calvin J. Pressley. My primary focus as an artist is oil painting, although I also enjoy exploring mixed media and classical drawing methods. I grew up in San Antonio and I'm a product of John Jay High school. My time studying at San Antonio College and the University of Texas in San Antonio ignited my passion for mixed media art making and classical drawing techniques. Later, I obtained my Masters in Fine Arts degree from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia before moving to Oklahoma to elevate my career as an educator. Today, I maintain my studio in San Antonio, TX.

As an educator, I've had the privilege of sharing my passion with students at various institutions. I've assisted with classes at PAFA and led studio drawing classes in the foundations program at the University of North Texas in Denton. Additionally, I’ve taught figure drawing at the University of Central Oklahoma and intro to painting classes at the Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center in Oklahoma City. Currently I'm inspiring a new generation of Artists by teaching high school art for Great Hearts Academies.

My current body of work explores the relationship between color, emotion, and storytelling. I use color to create psychological and figurative elements in my work, as well as to convey the physical texture of the paint. When I approach the canvas, I start with large color fields to map out the surface area and create interesting textures then look to the natural world for visual stimulation. My goal is to create paintings that engage the viewer on a visceral level. The narratives in my work emerge organically throughout the painting process, often influenced by moments and experiences outside of the studio that I capture in my sketchbook.