Al Hinton: 1940-2025
Stamps School Professor Emeritus Alfred “Al” Hinton, noted mixed-media artist, passed away peacefully at his home in Hawaiʻi on September 2, 2025.
An active member of the Stamps School faculty from 1975 to 2007, Al left a lasting legacy as a valued teacher, colleague, and friend. His passion for art endured well beyond his retirement, as he continued to create and exhibit his work for many years.
Al’s interest and skill in both football and art led to a unique career with success in both fields.
“See, when I was young, my father would ask what I wanted to do and I would tell him I wanted to be a commercial artist and a football player. My father was concerned about football because of the risks… He never tried to persuade me away, but felt both occupations were risky. That’s why I feel I’ve been lucky all of my life. I’ve pursued two loves and both of them worked out for me.”
Al attended Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan, where he set a shot put record and excelled in football, earning All-Saginaw Valley and All-State honors. After high school, Al attended the University of Iowa on a full athletic football scholarship, where he both studied art and started for three seasons as offensive tackle and defensive end, earning All-Big Ten honors and recognition as a Coaches Association All-American in 1961. Al was a sixth-round pick in the 1962 American Football League draft, but chose to join the Canadian Football League instead, where he spent six seasons playing for the Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Montréal Alouettes.
In 1967, Al retired from professional football and dedicated himself to his artistic practice. He studied under Robert Knipschild and Mauricio Lasansky at the University of Iowa, where he earned a BA in Art in 1967. He continued his education at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned an MFA in Painting and Filmmaking in 1970.
After a teaching position at Western Michigan University, Al joined the faculty at the University of Michigan School of Art in 1975, and was promoted to full professor with tenure in 1982. Al taught at Michigan for over 30 years before retiring as Professor Emeritus in 2007. Hinton was an engaged and highly supportive teacher and mentor, influential in helping generations of students develop as artists and designers.
Recognized as one of the nation’s premier mixed-media artists, Al used both found and fabricated objects to create abstract collages, often exploring ancient symbols and mythology to find new meaning and spiritual significance. His works have been exhibited internationally, and can be found in numerous private and public collections. Commissions include Urban Landscape-Rural Landscape, on permanent exhibit at the State of Michigan Library and Historical Center.
A supporter of the arts in Michigan throughout his career, Al served on the boards of numerous arts organizations, including the Michigan Council for the Arts and Concerned Citizens for the Arts. Al also served as co-coordinator for the Jackson Prison Art Program in 1973, and taught fine art classes taught at the federal correctional institution in Milan, Michigan.
The University of Iowa awarded Al the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of his professional accomplishments in 2000, noting, “Committed to helping minority artists develop their talents, Hinton worked tirelessly to offer them encouragement as well as practical assistance in finding financial aid to pursue their dreams and education.”
Learn more about Professor Hinton’s remarkable life in his Ann Arbor News obituary.