Career
Clayton belonged to a family living at Bush Hill, Edmonton. He was brought up to be a doctor, and served his time with the surgeon Samuel Sharp. But he did not manage to advance in the medical profession, and took up painting.
The form of art he adopted was still life, especially fruit and flower pieces, painting both in oil and water-colours.
He occasionally painted landscapes. He continued to exhibit with them.
He lived in the Piazza, Covent Garden. In March 1769 a disastrous and extensive fire broke out which destroyed one side of the Piazza, and most of Clayton"s best pictures were destroyed in the fire.
After this he seems to have given up art, and retired, having married, to his brother"s house at Enfield, where he devoted himself to gardening and music
He exhibited again in 1778.