Chris Coyle

Chris Coyle began working as an artist in 1997 and is the longest working artist at Creative Clay. Chris shared his thoughts with us about his long career as an artist.

I like sewing. That's my hobby. It makes me smile, and I have a good time. The staff helps me put the pictures on the fabric and I do all the stitching myself. My goal is to do more paintings. I love painting. With Paintings I want to help my friends and help the staff.

I also like dancing. I’ve been in movies with dancing at the University of South Florida. I practice dancing with my teacher Helen and my friends Hanna, Marquise, Aby and Forest and Tina. 

I like gallery hopping and to follow my dreams and be a great dancer and make movies. I like being picked to play the father in a movie that my friend Carla wrote. 

I love my art. I love doing needlepoint and I love painting, and I love teaching. I want to go to college to be a teacher in South Florida. 

I did some art for the Olympics. USA is my favorite team at the Olympics. They are my people. I made a lot of paintings before the Olympics and when they were on TV.

My dream is perfect. I want to see all people at Creative Clay. Come and see us. See me work. Come to out Art Market and see the food truck and buy some art. 

I feel glad and happy in my heart that I do art. It is my life. 

Recent Exhibits

The Dali Museum painting Good Folk Gallery 2023- present, Commissioned Needlework of client’s dog April 2024,  Needlework artwork GFG 2023-present, Summertime GFG July August 2024, The Good Folk Invitational GFG September October 2024, A Folk Art Holiday Good Folk Gallery Nov Dec 2024, UNWRAPPED Florida CraftArt Holiday Show Nov. Dec 2024, RETROSPECTIVE 30: Featuring 30 Years of Creative Clay’s Artists Good Folk Gallery January 2025, Florida CraftArt Members' Show February 2026.

Chris C. began as an artist at Creative Clay back in 1997 and is the longest working artist in the program. He began with a focus on illustration and portraiture with pencil, marker and paint. Since 2012, however, Chris began to prefer working in the fiber arts. Chris occasionally holds a sewing circle and invites his friends to join him in creating bright and bold needlework pieces. He has become known an expert in the medium and delights in his mastery of thread. He also is known for his gentle teaching style and conducts needle work lessons upon request.

Kim Dohrman