Donald Sultan

Known for his bold contrasting colors and still life images, Donald Sultan is a critically-acclaimed New York painter, printmaker and sculptor. Growing up, Sultan was surrounded by art; his father painted as a hobby and his mother was an actress, leading Sultan to have an early interest in set design. With his parents’ encouragement, Sultan earned a B.F.A. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and then went on to pursue an M.F.A. at the Art Institute of Chicago. Sultan’s inspiration is sourced from real life images, such as flowers, oranges, lemons, lanterns, and smoke which he synthesizes to abstract forms. They can be rendered more texturally on Masonite through the use of industrial materials such as tar or siding; or can have smoother surfaces with applied enamel. Later works revisit previous ones, the forms evolving into new subject matter. Moreover, Sultan’s works display an interested in contrast, in terms of color as well as concept. In addition to exhibiting in various galleries internationally, Sultan’s work is held in various collections including, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.