Donald Colley

Capturing the Ephemeral

Don Colley has had a love of drawing since childhood.  His military family moved every 2 years, and before he made friends in a new town, he entertained himself by drawing.   As a college student, he  made the decision to switch from a science major to art, and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in painting and printmaking. 

After his graduation, Don began exhibiting in galleries across the country.  In the early 1990s, he also started doing illustrations for Inc. Magazine, eCFO Magazine, and Playboy, and produced scores of portraits of classical composers for Andante Records. 

Don taught drawing classes at Drexel University in 1998, and moved to Chicago the following year.   Here he has exhibited at Jean Albano Gallery, Aron Packer Gallery, and Carl Hammer Gallery, and has continued doing illustration work.

Around 2010 he had a solo show at Rockford College and began working with Faber-Castell USA, creating catalog illustrations and videos, and touring the country giving demonstrations at retail stores, high schools, and colleges. 

He discovered, joined and attended Urban Sketchers’ first Symposium in Portland, and shortly afterward joined USk Chicago.

Find Don online at 

Facebook:  Donald Owen Colley 

Instagram:  donald.colley54

Web:  Buttnekkiddoodles.com