Paul Goodnight

Paul Goodnight




Paul Goodnight
Artist, Mentor, Image-Maker

“I would like to be a skilled and consummate draftsman. I try to use a collection of sensuous colors, often revealing mysterious hidden forms. I would love to convey the ability to see between the figures, melding and infusing them into an environment of endless nuances where abstraction and representational images are comfortable in the same space and where passion and humanity resonate. Once I learn to do this well, I will be obligated to pass this on, just as this information has been based on to me. Thank God for our masters!”

“I’ve learned that art is making me, rather than me creating it.”
-Paul T. Goodnight
Paul Goodnight was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 31, 1946. He was raised in Boston, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut where he discovered his passion for art. After serving an extended and traumatic tour of duty during the Vietnam War, Goodnight returned to Boston and began to pursue a career as an artist, first of all, as a way of seeking self healing and balance. He received his B.F.A and an honorary M.F.A from Massachusetts College of Art.

Paul Goodnight’s vibrant and emotional work has often been a reflection of his life--from the demons he faced during the Vietnam War to the time he was incarcerated “I’ve learned that art is making me, rather then me creating it.” His creative efforts are nurtured and inspired by several local artists, like Allan Rohan Crite and Dana Chandler. Goodnight had a close relationship with Master African-American artist and mentor John Biggers (1924-2001), who carved the path many contemporary black artists now travel.
Goodnight has developed his own unique aesthetic philosophy to document the humanity of people around the world. He often incorporates African themes and symbols to provide depths of history and culture. He has studied and traveled extensively to different parts of the world, living among the people of Russia, China, Haiti, Nicaragua, Africa and Brazil.

Goodnight’s images have appeared in television and film since 1984: Seinfeld, Arliss, Jackie Brown, The Cosby Show, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and the Hughleys to name a few. Paul has been featured in numerous publications such as Architectural Digest, Ebony, Essence, People Magazine and the Boston Globe. His works are amongst the collections of such notables as Maya Angelou, Wesley Snipes, Samuel Jackson, Angela Basset, Judith Jamison, Victoria Rowell, and NBA hall-of-famer Isaiah Thomas. His work has been exhibited in the Museum of Fine Arts, The Museum of the National Center of African American Artists and the Smithsonian. He has been the recipient of many achievements and awards such as receiving a commission for the 1996 Olympics, The U.S. Sports Academy Artist of the Year Award in 1997, and the World Cup Soccer Poster of 1998.