Although I have many styles, my low brow pieces and "psycho drama" narratives have gained the most attention so far. I will begin my permanent HIVE Gallery (Downtown Los Angeles) exhibition residency in January 2010... a dream come true in a fairly high-profile and appropriate showcase on S. Spring St.
I try to remain true to myself and my many interests. I enjoy oddity, mystery, brain-teasing puzzles, integrity, humor and personal expresssion... and their successful (hopefully) communication. I respect the classics and history in general. I guess that is the educated baggage I port into my contemporary world. I listen to my "little voices" - whether past art professors, my own inner childlike wonderment or a personally challenging task master.
"Creating Without Shame" keeps the art genuine and prolific. I know that every piece can't be a winner... not every Vermeer is a great Vermeer. That comforting realization motivates plenty of attempts and exercises. It's pretty easy to know what is wrong or bothersome about a piece... and more difficult to know what is right. There is always the ever popular ground of "safe", but who wants to go there?!
BTW, I recently returned to my fine arts roots after a long and loving professional detour as a visual merchandising manager for Pottery Barn and Williams/Sonoma Inc. Thankfully, I listened to my inner voice, and left them before the economy went south. Most of my posted images have been produced within the last couple years. As you can see, I'm always trying something else.
FYI, my Lil' Devils series reflects an interest in "religious mythology" and fantastic creatures, not spiritual belief. They are intended as small, intimate fascinations. They are tiny canvases that begin as brush-cleaning surfaces. At some point, they emerge, come alive, and I finish them up as imaginative guilty pleasures. They are a hoot when presented in the biggest, gaudiest, goldest, over-the-top frames I can find. The Lil' Devils become unusual conversation pieces in the perfect nook or cranny.
Artist Statement
I usually resist artist statements - I like enough room to swing a cat. My mantras are "Create Without Shame" and "Let It Rip". Anything goes, really. I try to harmonize the paradoxes in my art (bold and delicate, loose and meticulous, etc.) I'm always working toward the final immediate impact of each piece... hoping to be expressively genuine, layered, fun, a little enigmatic and good enough.
Primary Influences
classical art (esp. painting & sculpture), motion pictures, churches, museums (art, natural history, medical, etc), Disney, my art professors, music, my ancestry, my friends, early modern abstract & surrealist painters, mythology, religions, people, psychology, dreams, freedom, Dutch & Flemish painters, Italian Renaissance, puzzles, questions, explorations, and who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Recent/Upcoming Exhibition or Performance
Two Dogs Gallery (North Hollywood CA) February-March 2008,
Gallery at the End of the World (Altadena CA) September 2008 and March 2009,
The Hive Gallery (Los Angeles CA) August 2009,
Santa Monica Hangar Gallery (Santa Monica CA) spring 2010 TBD
Favorite Medium
oil on canvas, ballpoint pen, permanent markers, pencil
I Would Like to Network With
Reps and Galleries (no scammers or players, please). Serious artists who exhibit (or want to). Honest but positive people. Eccentric but not crazy people. Motivated, organized, high-functioning people. Funny, clever people.
Occupation:
artist
Company:
studio/415
College:
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles - Pauline Khuri-Majoli
High school:
Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks CA
Website URL:
mikestreetstudio415.vpweb.com
I would like to meet:
Other artists with similar goals and mindsets. See my "I would like to network with" list.
Favorite bands and musicians:
Too many. There's always some kind of music ON.
Favorite movies:
Too many.
Favorite TV shows:
TV will rot your brain - except for educational or cultural programming.
Favorite places:
Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Washington DC, San Francisco, The Hague, Budapest, Prague, Loire Valley, Florence, Rome, Pompeii, Mexico, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego, Seattle, Boston, New York... etc.
Favorite artists:
My list of artists and movements I don't like is shorter! Among my favorites, I will mention my art professors... Pauline Khuri-Majoli (a direct pupil of Stanton MacDonald Wright, Rod Abrahamsom (a direct pupil of Fernand Leger), Louise Wise, and John van Hammersveld (music industry album designer).
Education:
College graduate
