Earl Staley (b. 1938) is an American painter from Oak Park, Illinois, whose vibrant, mythologically inspired work reflects early influences such as museum visits, Boy Scouts, and an interest in mapping and storytelling. After earning his BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University and MFA from the University of Arkansas, he built a long teaching career at institutions including Washington University, Rice University, and the University of St. Thomas. His artistic direction shifted in the 1970s after reading Joseph Campbell, leading him to frame personal narratives within mythic structures, later enriched by travels to Mexico and encounters with Day of the Dead traditions. Staley rose to national prominence in the 1980s through the Whitney Biennial, major retrospectives, and a celebrated commission designing sets for the Houston Grand Opera, and his work now appears in major museum collections across the United States.
