Clayton Cotterell is a Portland-based artists who's primary focus is singular subjects. He appears to shoot mainly in digital, or at least that's the only content of his found online. Some of his work in color, while others are black and white. His portfolio has a wide variety of focuses, but often only one or two strong colors present if any at all. His later work, stemming from a show he had titled "Arrangements" focuses on still lives and everyday objects being shown or manipulated in an out-of-context way.
As said before, much of Cotterell's work honors one or two things. His first reputable collection, "Unarmed", followed his brother's life as he transitioned into having a position in the military. With his later works he follows the same singularity, but often with a less personal focus. His still lifes are very simple and gain their presence primarily from the color combinations and uncommon combinations he presents. The works I've selected also show a lot of greens and pale blues, but there is a much greater variety when looking at his entire series.
I like the simplicity found in Cotterell's work. The images he creates do not have a complex narrative to them but maintain a beauty that I find intriguing. His work does not feel overworked or overdeveloped but more a natural extension of the things happening around him. Some of the hardest things to create are pieces that don't find their meaning in the identity of the object but begin to create their own. I think Cotterell is a great example of someone who knows how to edit down work and still have it be significant.
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