Name: Clayton Porter
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Working for The Magazine since: 2016
Visual artist Clayton Porter has been taking photos and conducting interviews for The Magazine since Lauren Tresp became publisher. In addition to his beloved black and white portraits of artists in their studios, Clayton has been by Lauren’s side, spending countless hours discussing ways to reinvent the publication, many of which have come to fruition. Apart from his portrait photography, Clayton is a practicing multimedia visual artist in Santa Fe.
Where are you from?
Born in Colorado Springs, CO, lived in Santa Fe since 1998.
What is your favorite thing about New Mexico?
Some of my favorite things about NM are that it’s brown, it’s dusty, and it’s one of the few states with a comparably small population density. It’s easy to go to other cities or states and fall in love with lush green landscapes or booming hipster economies; it takes authenticity and a relaxed sensibility to love New Mexico.
What are you reading/watching/listening to lately?
I recently finished an audio book, The Civil War: a Narrative, by Shelby Foote. A tremendous three-volume set, enjoyable for any lover of American history, but masterfully written as an accessible narrative.
I don’t have cable, or a traditional TV, so my preferable default medium is YouTube. For a brief time I completely immersed myself in watching movie reviews about films I disliked and that confirmed my bias. It consequently expanded to all reviews and I’m now a bit of a YouTube movie critic groupie.
What’s your favorite piece/photo you’ve done for The Magazine?
I’ve enjoyed every studio visit I’ve participated in. To have access to a behind-the-scenes look at so many incredible artists’ workspaces has been an absolute joy and privilege. Sometimes artists can be tough nuts to crack when I put them in front of a camera. The image that continues to be my favorite, and the standard of what’s possible, is the portrait of Susan York. The playful micro expression Susan revealed during that session helped me realize how the portrait can melt through a façade and allow the candid charm of an artist to shine through to the reader. Those moments are rare.
What are you done with this year?
This year I’m done with getting sick! Since autumn of last year I think I’ve had around seven different types of head colds, chest colds, and every other cold known to man.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I’m looking forward to my studio visit with artist Stuart Arends. We met at his show last year at Mayeur Projects and immediately hit it off. He’s extraordinarily approachable and open about his life as an artist and the artist experience.
