I love playing around with different mediums, texture and color. Impressionism, post-Impressionism, Surrealism, and Fauvism really influence my artistic style; I would say that the pieces I create have a good blend of all four, but mainly lean towards Fauvism. Eyes and landscapes are my absolute favorite subjects in all forms, but I’m also interested in still lives and the likes. I draw loads of inspiration from the world around us, particularly from nature. This is why I put so much emphasis on being an eco-conscious creator and business owner - because of my deep appreciation for the Earth and the natural world.
I’ve always been a creative, but it wasn’t until high school that I began to truly explore art. I took up painting as my preferred medium quite quickly, taking multiple classes and following along to Bob Ross tutorials in my down time. I fell in love with oil paint for it’s velvety smoothness and insane drying time (oil paint can take many days to dry and even months to cure). It was during this period that I had my first gallery opportunity at a local shop through my school. My art teacher picked a painting I had done for class, a winter landscape on a dried leaf, to be hung up in the shops’ gallery among other hand-selected pieces from peers in my community.
mik. ❦ Oil Painter
After high school, I was quite unsure of the path I wanted to take for my future. I eventually decided that taking classes at a nearby community college was a good place to start. Not much later I landed on my program of study - Studio Art. Throughout my time in college I learned a great deal about varying mediums and subjects. I explored art forms like sculpture, life drawing, and printmaking for the first time. All of which fulfilled my creative fondness, imagination, and thirst for knowledge in incredible ways.
My last year as an undergrad, I had the privilege of participating in my college’s annual student exhibition. Only a select few are accepted each year and I was absolutely thrilled to have two of my pieces chosen to be put on display in the schools’ gallery. One of my paintings, Outlier, even received an honorable mention award of $100 (see photo). All in all, I walked away with my Associates Degree in Art and an unshakable promise to honor my creative freedom.
Since graduating from college, I’ve been making it a priority to do just that: honor my creative freedom. It may be easy to seek, but in this fast-paced day and age finding time for the arts and for authentic self-expression can be a challenge. Although this rings true, I’m proud to be chasing this dream diligently. I will forever continue to create and grow as an artist. Bringing about pieces of art that reflect who I am and what I love is my passion. I strive to produce work that is honest, intriguing, and full of vibrant, glorious color.
With that, I’d love to have you here along for the ride! Make sure to check out my portfolio on Instagram and, of course, feel free to DM me there if you’re interested in owning a piece.