Michael James

Michael, after less than ten years of painting, is emerging as one of the more successful abstract painters on the local scene.  Though, he chooses to be very selective in the venues where he shows, he has developed a considerable base of collectors and loyal patrons that support his efforts.  Michael contributes his success to his ability to reach the observer on a very esthetic level.  He says, “There’s nothing deep or political I’m trying to convey, just creative work that has a unique beauty after collaboration with brush, paint, and canvas.”

As a commercial pilot in light aircraft, a commercial deep-sea diver, an actor with ten starring roles, and a crew member for Dan Gurney in CART auto racing, Michael has spent over ten years residing in numerous countries from Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Philippines, to Borneo and Mexico, as well as working in Canada, Japan, Australia, and Brazil.  

The influence of his travels can be seen in his variation of styles, techniques, and color.  He says, “Above all, I love color, sometimes bright with sharp contrasts.  Paintings should always evoke emotions...  and for me, pleasing ones!”

Michael currently divides his time between his home studio in Toluca Lake and a residence in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  He last showed work at the Los Angeles Municipal Gallery, the Creative Arts Center in Burbank, and the Haziza H1 Gallery in the NoHo Arts District.  Later this year he will be showing at Galeria Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.   

He is a member of LACMA, the LA Municipal Gallery, the Fine Arts Federation of Burbank, and the Malibu Art Association.

Artist Statement

Experiences living in the United States and abroad greatly influence each of my Abstract paintings.  As I begin to focus on the rhythmic breathing of a bare canvas my images mature, developing to a point where a passion to lay the first crucial stroke overwhelms me.  When I lay that first stroke an evolvement commences, guiding me on a journey, a journey revealing another, often intrinsic, facet of my life.

Though it can be a very spiritual and dramatic event, I attempt to convey images through a variation of devices, textures, composition, and juxtaposition of colors, always seeking to create a pure visual expression that distills art to it’s essence.  Whether the painting engenders any significant dialogue or not is never directed, but merely the consequence of my journey.

What is directed, hopefully, is a pleasing and uplifting creative endeavor that provides a unique pleasure for each observer.  I’m most fortunate, for me each painting brings me a little closer to who I am, why I’m here, and where I need to be.  I’m confident that in time, painting in conjunction with spiritual strength, will get me there!

COMPLEXITY OF THE PSYCHE IN COLOR 

After viewing a movie of the brain transferring and processing various information via colored areas, I began to realize if all areas of the brain were identified by varied colors each individual would convey a different color pattern as the brain functioned under normal operation.  No two color patterns the same...

I then began to imagine what the pattern would resemble if captured in color for those individuals I experience in my daily life, i.e., family, friends, acquaintances, and sometimes just strangers that intrigue me.

“I observe, imagine, attempt to encapsulate myself with the individual’s mind and emotional state, feeling what they feel and how they perceive...  then paint!  Vicariously I let the composition, design, and colors flow from a perspective different than my own.”

Those that know how I approach this series constantly inquire as to which painting represents them.  Not wanting to confront my personal observations of those I care about most and to avoid creating ill will, I’ve chosen to number the series, thereby eliminating any apparent identification and diminishing potential animosity towards me for my interpretation and judgment of each subject.