Colby Degraaf

Colby DeGraaf (b. 1974, St. Petersburg, FL) is a studio painter that creates compositions focused on contemporary interpretations and representations of the figure. He currently maintains a studio in South Florida and exhibits work in commercial and public galleries throughout the United States.

“My work aims to bring connections to a range of evanescent moments by employing the human form in literal and figurative constructs.”

DeGraaf states that his studio practice is centered around Gestault principles of perception, specifically figure-ground relationships. Compositions are initially built up to show straight forward representations of figures and forms then his work goes through a deconstruction process to achieve a push or pull between proximities in the picture plane.

2013 BFA magna cum laude, Murray State University, Murray, KY

1999 BA, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Selected Exhibits:

2022 Centennial Alumni Juried Exhibition, Clara M Eagle Gallery, Murray, KY

2020 The Frank Aisles, The Frank Otis Art Gallery, Pembroke Pines, FL

2019 Penta, Bailey Contemporary Arts, Pompano Beach, FL

2018 Exposed, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Hollywood, FL

2016 Summer Heat 7, Rossetti Fine Art Gallery, Wilton Manors, FL

2016 Wrestling the Snake: Open Season in Political Art, The Projects at FATVillage, Fort Lauderdale, FL

2015 Me Me Me: The Self-Portrait 21C, Laundromat Art Space, Miami, FL

2015 Seventh Annual All Media Bienneal, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Hollywood, FL