Artist Statement

My name is Paul McCall, a contemporary artist based in Cleveland Ohio. I answer to Maximo. Max for short. From the age of six I started to draw. My father was a career soldier. In the year of 1956, we were station in France. We lived outside the small city of Ètain. East of Verdun. The cultural influences were enormous. Coming from Wonder bread to fresh baked baguettes. Need I say more. The architecture, cuisine, garments and L, amor de la vie. Even the police attire was couture. Very cool.

I consider myself self-taught. I did take some lessons at Pratt in Seattle. There was an instructor name Margeret Davison. She taught me how to see and draw. I fell in love with rendering. Charcoal and paper.

My first medium was watercolor. Then pastel. They were too fragile. Needed to be frame under glass. So, I move to acrylic. I plan to start exploring oil this summer.

I’ve had representation in Seattle at Fountainhead and Lundquist in Buckhead. I’ve participated in shows at Wynn Luke and the Seattle Art Museum. The show that meant the most to me was the Burmingham Civil Rights Museum. I had forty-two pieces in the exhibition. There was a show I did in Seattle. A young lady viewed my piece and commenced to crying, actually whaling. Initially I was frightened. I asked her, “Was she ok?” She said, “The painting was her.” That’s when I reflected on how art has impacted my life and the lives of others. I embrace any social or political messages in my work.

Future aspirations is to make affordable honest and truthful art that creates conversation and change.