Mikell in Real LIfe

A visit with Michael Workman

I usually leave the Bridge Academy business for the Bridge Blog but this is cool news that some people might not find out about if they don't typically see that blog. Michael Workman, one of my painting heroes and the nations most celebrated landscape painters, is going to visit the Bridge this Friday at 6pm. He will be sharing career stories and insider secrets with us, and all people are welcome to come. We might even provide some edible treats for the masses.

Grad Student

This is a small painting I just finished for the small-works show at Terzian Galleries opening November 28. Gallery Stroll in Park City.

Evolution of a face

My Culture

BRIDGE OPENING PARTY

Last Thursday we had an official grand opening party for the BRIDGE ACADEMY. A perfect night. To see more pics visit the bridge blog. Thanks to all those who attended and supported.

Egon and Gustav

This last week I visited New York City. I feel the need to get there at least once a year just to be "cleansed" as Sean Diediker would say. I made all the stops. MOMA, MET, and a gallery I had never been to before which was my favorite of this trip. The Neue Gallery. This gallery is dedicated to German and Austrian art from the late 1800 and early 1900's. They have this painting and a few drawings by Gustav Klimt and a painting and some drawings by Egon Scheile. I'm always so intrigued to learn about the lives of historical legendary painters. So one of the cool things I learned from this trip was:

This guy



learned from this guy



and they were total buds and had great respect for one another.
I think egon was probably the original scenester.

Rockwell Visited

Little B

Then and Now

resurrecting old buildings

step by step clarity

Me and Pa

Instant

Ok then. Here's another new piece for the Blue Rain show. I really liked the way this painting came together. It has a more polished surface and paint quality than most of my recent work. I dont know why. It just happened that way.

I usually get my painting ideas when i first wake up in the morning. Then I end up calling models and driving all over the place that day to make the idea come to life. This was one of those experiences. Jendar (the same model from my "subway" painting) will probably never talk to me again after that long long night. But in the end I think it was worth it. I love the feel and tone of this piece.

Green Eyes

Yeah, I'm really deep with my painting ideas. I cant get enough of the small vertical canvas composition. I just like'em all day long. This little painting was inspired by my sister-in-law's killer green eyes. This piece is another one that will show at the Blue Rain Gallery in one week. I'm hoping everyone that I know will join our furious celebration at the gallery on the 4th of July. There is no rules in Santa Fe on the 4th of July. Its outlaw country. Billy the Kid. Young Guns. See you there.

Drawing Rips

This is a drawing I did for my BYU class last semester. I should say I did this drawing in the class while they did their own drawings. I really enjoyed drawing this model. Her name is Noel and she was the best model we had all semester. A good model can be rare. Someone who just gets in. Noel got it. Drawing or painting a live model is addicting. If you are like me then you are kind of a dork, and you consider access to a good model and good music some of the best moments in life.

El fe de Chimayo

The Faith of Chimayo. This is a before and after of one of my recent paintings that will be part of the group show at the Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe on July 4.

The first image is obviously the under painting. At this stage I only knew I wanted the figure of this little girl to be placed in the lower right space of the composition. I also knew I wanted to build a story with this composition about the old church in Chimayo, NM. I visited this church with my friends Ben McPherson and Sean Diediker earlier this year. There is a legendary story about the origins of this church. On the day we visited there was a group of blind people leaving as we were entering the sanctuary. The little girl in this painting represents the thousands of people who make a pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayo every year in hopes of finding peace of mind and body. I thank Bella McPherson (Ben's daughter) for being the perfect model for this painting, and also Nicolai Fetchin for the photo's and drawings he did in Mexico in the early 1900's. Those were the stylistic inspiration for this painting.

The BRIDGE academy of art

Visit Bridge to see what it's all about

Springville Museum of Art Spring Salon

First let me thank all the people who have left generous comments on my previous posts. It's especially fun to hear from people outside of the US. This blogging thing is a remarkable way to connect people. Thanks for the support. It is altogether motivating to hear from people who make and celebrate art.

It is time again for the annual Spring Salon at the Springville Museum of Art. For those who are not familiar with the show, it is the largest juried exhibition here in Utah. Many of the artists that enter this show are nationally recognized painters, sculptors, and photographers who are represented by galleries all over the world.

I am posting some of the pieces that will hang in this year's salon that are done by my painting friends and mentors. Each of these artists are people who have encouraged and supported me, and whom I greatly admire.

The show will hang from April 27th to July 6th. These are only a few of the pieces. The show is insanely good. Get there.


BENJAMIN McPHERSON




SEAN DIEDIKER




MELISSA PECK




SUNNY BELLISTON




MOLLY WILLIAMS




MARK STAHMANN




ME

Portrait Society of America

Ok, I apologize for bombarding everyone with this piece over and over. Well, I shouldn't apologize. I really like this piece. Its probably one of my best. Which isn't saying much, but out of all the headache that goes in to trying to put ideas on canvas, its nice to be happy about the result once in a while.

The reason I'm posting this is because I recently found out it was chosen as a finalist in the Portrait Society of America's annual portrait competition. Out of 1200 entries 20 were chosen to show as finalists at the conference in Philadelphia this April. I'm completely shocked, totally grateful for the opportunity to show there, and I just cant believe it. Especially when I know what caliber of portrait painters are out there.

Lamell

Sometimes work needs to be posted for sentimental value alone. This is not the best drawing I've ever done. I drew this with my class at UVU this week. Unfortunately the classes there are only an hr and fifty minutes. So, between helping some of the students, and breaks, there is probably an hr in this portrait. I used nu pastel so I could fill in shadow masses in a short amount of time.

This post is all about the subject. I dont see my friends very often these days. So, once in a while I con one of them in to modeling for my class. This is my friend Chance Lamell Morris. You can find Lamell in a painting on my website titled "something in a sunday". I lived with Lamell for a couple years, and he's one of the more interesting individuals on this planet. Anyone that talks to Lamell knows there's a history behind those features, and, he's the only dude I know that makes a mustache look good.

Melissa Peck show this friday March 7th

Ok. Everyone out there who lives anywhere near Utah needs to know that this Friday is a show opening for Melissa Peck at the Coda Gallery in Park City. She's awesome. Her work is awesome. Its pretty much something you'll never forget. See you there.

RED

A couple of weeks ago I went to Santa Fe, NM with Sean Diediker and Ben McPherson. We were going in to the different galleries just looking at the work and making conversation with the different Gallery owners. This gentlemen was one of those gallery owners and was very gracious in letting me get some pictures of him for a painting. Its pretty obvious why he needed to be painted isn't it? Incidentally this painting will be part of a 3-man show at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe on the 4th of July. Sean Diediker, Ben McPherson, and myself.

clarity at the end of things

seriously serious

Yeah I just thought I'd post this action pic so everyone can see how serious
painting is. Serious business. Seriously, check out the furrow in my brow.
And, this is a sneak peak of the painting that took me 4 times too long to
complete. There was a few decisions in the process of this painting that
were unexpected but I am happy with it now. I'll post the final in a day or two.

I used to have this painting on my website. I took it off because I didn't think it really went with the body of work that I'm trying to create. BUT, I really like this painting. I like the way the paint worked transparent in the hair, and the colors in the face and hands. This piece is my tribute to Angus Young. Angus, for any of those lost souls who dont know, is the guitarist of the Australian rock band AC/DC. And, in my opinion, Angus defines rock-n-roll. The first concert I ever saw was AC/DC at the Salt Palace in 1991. I did this painting about 3 yrs ago. It's still one of my favorite paintings, and every time I see footage of Angus ripping it makes me want to paint twenty more of these.

I just realized I can post stuff other than paintings and drawings on here. I moved to Utah a few years ago for school. Its the last place I thought I'd be to pursue an art education and career. Its even more surprising to me that while I've been here I've become acquainted with some professional artists that I would usually only know from reading magazine articles or looking at gallery websites. Its been an awesome experience to connect and socialize with these individuals. This was a small gathering at the Springville Art Museum back in December.