From The Mountains To The Sea

Studio and Outdoor (Plein Air) Work

      Mike is an "alla prima" ( wet into wet paint) oil painter who regularly paints landscapes primarily from plein air studies and western themed oil paintings in his studio in the Sierra foothills of Northern California.  His favorite painting locations are in the beautiful mountains of California as well as the awe-inspiring Northern California coast above Big Sur.  The painting shown above is a plein air painting painted during the 2012 San Luis Obispo Plein Air event in the commercial harbor area of Morro Bay with Morro Rock in the background.

      Mike has won many awards and honors in National and International level art competitions.  His most recent award is the Regional Winner of Region 3 in the 2010 National Paint The Parks Top 100 Competition.  He has also shown his paintings in many prestigious group shows in Museums and quality art galleries throughout the western United States.  Mike has an affinity for painting images of working cowboys and their favorite animals:  Horses and Cows.  He doesnt know where this came from but recalls his childhood when he loved all of those old westerns with some of the greatest cowboys ever:  Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hoppalong Cassidy and the Lone Ranger and Tonto.
       "Welcome to my site.  I hope you enjoy viewing my paintings of some of the most interesting subjects and beautiful places on earth.  Please join my Email group or view my Blog site or look for me on Facebook if you would like updates on my art activities"

      Studio Demonstration           Plein Air Demonstration     Palette Knife Demonstration

Please also check out my painting demonstrations noted above where you can see my techniques in living color!  Don't forget to let me know if you would be interested in learning these techniques first hand in a workshop or through private instruction at my studio.