Born in 1949 along the Eno River in segregated Hillsborough, North Carolina, Clarence Mayo Jr. discovered his love for art in the very classrooms where he first experienced both the challenges and inspirations of a segregated community. After earning a Visual Art degree from Shaw University in Raleigh, he taught in the Burlington Public School System, sharing his passion for creativity with young learners. A move into the restaurant industry temporarily put his artistry on hold, but he eventually rediscovered his need to create and reignited his creative spirit.
Over the years, Clarence’s artwork has been featured in numerous North Carolina venues, including The Little Art Gallery in Raleigh, the UNC Student Union, Naomi Studio and Gallery, the Carrack Modern Community Gallery, the Durham Art Guild, The Nido Coworking + Childcare Building, Pleiades Gallery, The Golden Belt Art + Studios, the Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian, Art Post Art Market, Hillsborough’s Last Friday Art Market, and the Freedom Book Festival. Now residing in Durham, he continues to draw on his rich personal history to produce art that reflects both his roots and his enduring dedication to creative expression.
Clarence came to Art in Bloom Gallery through an artist exchange project with the Durham Art Guild.
The Durham Art Guild is a nonprofit member-driven visual arts organization established in 1948. The Guild’s mission is to enrich and connect our communities by creating opportunities and providing leadership for current and future visual artists and art enthusiasts. The Guild programs over 40 exhibitions annually across multiple NC community partnership venues featuring over 400 regional artists. In addition to the Creative Mentorship Program and the Artist in Residence Program, the Guild also produces over 20 arts related events each year including receptions, lectures, community building events and professional development workshops. For more information about the Durham Art Guild please visit www.durhamartguild.org or follow us @durhamartguild
