THE NARRATIVE SURREALISM OF SKY BLACK

ARTIST STATEMENT

It is always my goal to challenge the viewers perception of reality.

Sky Black

Sky Black was born in 1992 in Flagstaff, AZ and has been professionally painting for nearly 15 years. He is an accomplished gallery artist and muralist. The Orpheum Theatre in Flagstaff holds Sky’s largest mural where he teamed up with the Mural Mice and covered the entire 4,500 sq/ft wall.

In 2016, Street Art Berlin hired him to paint a mural in Berlin, Germany and brought him back again for a second project in Zurich, Switzerland in 2019. Most of his large scale public works can be viewed in Arizona and his paintings and prints have found many homes across the US and internationally.

Sky’s painting style is simultaneously technical and painterly with themes that range from pristine landscapes to surreal scenes and strange happenings.

Sky is now raising a family with his wife and paints full time out of a cabin studio on the outskirts of Flagstaff.

CV

SKY BLACK

b.1992. Artist from 2008 – Present
Studied from personal mentors Joe Sorren, Mia Tavonatti, David Willardson, Bruce Aiken, Shonto Begay

MUSUEM EXHIBITIONS

2023 – “Local” – Northern Arizona University Beasley Gallery – NAU Flagstaff, AZ
2019 – “The Space Between” – Coconino Center for the Arts – Flagstaff, AZ
2018 – “Art Ungrounded” – Sky Harbor International Airport Museum – Phoenix, AZ
2018 – “Pivot” – Museum of Northern Arizona – Flagstaff, AZ

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018 – “Before We Forget Ourselves” – monOrchid Gallery – Phoenix, AZ
2016 – “Our Other Selves” – {9} The Gallery – Phoenix, AZ
2015 – “Awake” – Tavonatti Gallery – Santa Ana, CA
2014 – “My Beautiful Friends” – Coconino Center for the Arts – Flagstaff, AZ
2013 – “Hurry My Dear the Storm is Near” – The Pike – Flagstaff, AZ

GROUP SHOWS

2023 – MOCAF Fall Group Show, Museum of Contemporary Art of Flagstaff – Flagstaff, AZ
2023 – MOCAF Spring Group Show, Museum of Contemporary Art of Flagstaff – Flagstaff, AZ
2018 – “The Coterie Show” – monOrchid Gallery – Phoenix, AZ
2017 – “Rise & Grind, Grand Art Haus” – Phoenix, AZ
2017 – “Scratching the Surface” – Verum Ultimum Gallery -Portland, OR
2017 – “Future Tellers” – Gallery 114 – Portland, OR
2017 – “Provisioner” – MonOrchid Gallery – Phoenix, AZ
2016 – “Tiny Works” – {9} The Gallery – Phoenix, AZ
2016 – “10×10” – Coconino Center for the Arts – Flagstaff, AZ
2015 – “The Other Side of the Coin” – Flagstaff Modern & Contemporary – Flagstaff, AZ
2015 – “10×10” – Coconino Center for the Arts – Flagstaff, AZ
2013 – “Sylvia White Gallery Group Show” – Ventura, CA

MURALS / PUBLIC ART

2023 – Snow Mountain River Murals – Flagstaff, AZ
2022 – Nursery Mural – Scottsdale, AZ
2020 – Couch Party Mural – Phoenix, AZ
2019 – Snow Mountain River Murals – Flagstaff, AZ
2019 – Roots MicroFarm Mural – Flagstaff, AZ
2019 – In Memory of George Mancuso, Peace Surplus – Flagstaff, AZ
2019 – The Rose Peddlers Mural – Zurich, Switzerland
2018 – Power of Words Project, Manistique MI
2018 – monOrchid Gallery mural, Phoenix, AZ
2017 – Learning to Fly, Flagstaff, AZ
2017 – Power of Words Project – Iron Mountain, MI
2016 – Mine! Mural – Berlin, Germany
2014/2015 – Sound of Flight Mural, Orpheum Theater – Flagstaff, AZ
– 4,500 sq/ft – Largest Hand Painted Mural in Arizona
2010/2013 – Winter Sun School Murals, Muskegon MI

AWARDS & PRIZES

2023 – Sky Black Art Mentor Program – Whitehorse, Canada
2015 – Viola Award Nominee – Flagstaff, AZ
2014 – Viola Award Nominee – Flagstaff, AZ
2013 & 2014 – Best of Flag, Voted Best Artist – Flagstaff, AZ
2012 – Viola Award Nominee – Flagstaff, AZ
2010 – Top 75/2,000 award at Art Prize Arts Competition – Grand Rapids, MI
2009 – Winner Sedona Watercolor Society Award – Sedona, AZ
2009 – Winner Coconino Center for the Arts Youth Competition – Flagstaff, AZ

TRAVEL / MUSEUM RESEARCH

Spain
Museo Prado, Madrid
Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid
Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Barcelona
Caixa Forum, Barcelona
Salvador Dali Museum, Figueres
Italy
Uffizi Gallery Florence
Galleria Nazionale del Bargello, Florence
Pitti Palace, Florence
Galleria dell’Accademia Florence
Vatican Museums, Rome
France
Palace of Versailles, Versailles
Musee Du Louvre, Paris
Gustav Moreau, Paris
Musee Du Picasso, Paris
Belgium
Magritte Museum, Brussels.
The Netherlands
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam,
Germany
Pergamonmuseum, Berlin.
Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin.
Neues Museum, Berlin.
USA
Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersberg, FL
Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Guggenheim, New York, NY
MET, New York, NY

View my paintings

PAINTINGS

Please have a look at my portfolio

Visit my shop

SHOP

Giclees, Posters, and More!

Check these murals

MURALS

Public Art Rocks!