Canadian artist and hobby microbiologist Jordan Clayton paints wholly unique, yet entirely natural abstractions based on microscopic observations of home-grown cultures. The beauty of his wispy, ethereal paintings challenge societal expectations of his subjects which include bacterium, viruses, fungi, and single-celled organisms. They are an homage to nature in a way altogether unique from landscape and figurative paintings: embracing the often unsung world of science in art.
Clayton was once a figurative painter, whose interest in the human form reflected his own personal struggles with masculinity. However, the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of a digestive parasite rerouted his focus, turning his fascination with the body into one far more microscopic. Today, his nebulous, sinewy oil paintings reflect the very nature of growth and decay.
When viewing Jordan Clayton's works, one is reminded of fantastical worlds. His almost eerie, veiny lines evoke the reaching claws of demons or wings of angels. The interactions between colors and shapes turn these microbe subjects into vast universes of whimsy and imagination. While the paintings themselves invite interpretation, Clayton's titles often offer very grounded, honest descriptions of the original subjects and themes.
