Tylonn J. Sawyer is a figurative artist who lives and works in Detroit, MI
His work has been included in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States. Sawyer’s drawings and paintings can be found in private collections as well as the permanent collection of Marygrove College. In 2014, Tylonn was the star of a commercial, which aired worldwide, for the “World of Redbull” campaign. The commercial, filmed exclusively in Detroit, highlighted his artwork, Detroit, and its people.
In 2013, Tylonn was one of four artists commissioned to paint murals by the Whole Foods corporation for their new store in mid town Detroit. The success of that mural led to the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit commissioning Sawyer to paint two murals for their Jens Hoffman curated exhibition, The Past is Present. While working on the murals, Tylonn had the opportunity to collaborate with international artists Andrea Bowers and Hank Willis Thomas.
As an educator, Tylonn currently teaches in the Foundations department at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Over the past decade he has taught various courses in drawing, life drawing, anatomy, 2-D design, all levels of painting, and figure painting at various institutions including Marygrove College and Eastern Michigan University.
Sawyer’s passion for arts education has lead to his community work with youth. He has worked for various community arts programs throughout New York, serving as art director, teacher, curriculum specialists, and more. From 2011 to 2013 he was the program manager for an arts infused education organization in southwest Detroit, servicing public schools. Most recently, in early 2014, Sawyer started the first teen arts council in Michigan for the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.
Tylonn received a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from the New York Academy of Art: Graduate School of Figurative Art and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (drawing & painting) from Eastern Michigan University. He is also the recipient of the Peter T. Rippon Travel Award, independent study at the Royal Academy of Art, London England.