Mike was born and raised in California with artistic abilities noted early in his life. He worked in law enforcement, however, over a quarter of a century before turning to art full time. Mike spent three years studying art at the California Art Institute following degrees from LA Valley College and Pepperdine University. He has also attended many workshops hosted by distinguished institutions and artist/teachers.

Mike primarily paints oil paintings on location but also in his studio in Placerville, California. He finds inspiration from the Sierra Nevada mountain views and spends much of his time painting between Lake Tahoe and one of his favorites: Yosemite National Park. He also paints oil paintings of cowboys, American Indians and wildlife. His paintings are strongly influenced by a number of distinguished master artists including Edgar Payne, Maurice Braun, Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell.

Colleagues refer to Mike as a draftsman in that his renderings are very accurate while his style is impressionistic. His portraits show a spark of the subject’s personality. Mike's paintings are in a number of collections in the United States and abroad in England, Japan and Switzerland. 

 
Artist Statement
I am an oil painter who loves the great outdoors from the mountains to the seas.  My favorite painting locations are mostly in our nation’s National Parks which I believe contain the most awe inspiring scenery in the world.  I also love our American heritage from the settlers who perilously ventured out west to the American Indians who understood the rugged unspoiled beauty of our western landscape long before we settled here.  
 
I paint primarily from life.  I don't believe that painting from photographs lends itself to true value or color relationships or other proper compositional elements of a great work of art. I pride myself on being able to paint from life quickly and accurately whether the subject is our beautiful western landscape or a model posing in period costume. I do use photographs for cowboy, American Indian and wildlife paintings due to posing problems that I'm sure you can imagine! Many of these paintings, however, were created from or enhanced using plein air studies as are my larger studio landscapes.  My goal is to give the art patron a two dimensional piece of fine art that is as close to three dimensional as possible without seeming contrived, abstract or photo realistic. 

I hope that the ability given me to paint my view of our countries greatest treasures will inspire the viewers as much as it inspires and intrigues me every single day.

GALLERIES

Fire & Rain Gallery, El Dorado Hills, CA
Portico Fine Art, Montecito, CA
The Coastside: A Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA

Mike Bagdonas Studio, Placerville, CA

NAPPAP On-line Portfolio

ART AFFILIATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS

National Academy of Professional Plein Air Painters (NAPPAP)
Oil Painters of America - Artist member

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association - Artist member

California Art Club - Artist Associate member

El Dorado County Arts Council - Artist member

EDUCATION

1993 – 1996 California Art Institute Thousand Oaks, CA

1974 – 1975 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA

1971 – 1973 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA

1968 – 1970 Los Angeles Valley College Van Nuys, CA

ONE OR TWO PERSON SHOWS

2007  Vault Gallery Two Man Show Sonora, CA

2005  Chablis Gallery  One Man Show  Wild Wild West 
          Placerville, CA
1997  Brentwood Art Center  Two Man Show  Brentwood, CA

MUSEUM OR OTHER SPECIAL VENUE EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS

2009   Tweed Museum, "2009 Natural World Observed", NAPPAP Signature Member
           Exhibit, Duluth, MN
2009  Kolb Studio  2009 Top Mini 50 National Paint The Parks Exhibition 
          Grand Canyon, AZ
2009  Cornell Museum-Old School Square, 2008 Paint America Top 100 Exhibition, 
          Delray, FL
2009  RW Norton Art Museum, 2008 National Paint The Parks Top 100 Exhibition, 
          Shreveport, LA
2008  Museum of Moab, 100 Years of National Parks in Utah
          Plein Air Exhibit, Moab, Utah
2008  Edge of Cedars Museum, 100 Years of National parks in Utah 
          Plein Air Exhibit, Blanding, Utah
2008  Indiana Dunes National Park, 2008 Top 100 National Paint The Parks
          Exhibit, Hammond, Indiana
2008  Jefferson Nat'l Expansion Memorial, 2008 Top 100 Paint The
          Parks Exhibit, St Louis, MO
2008  Kolb Studio  2007 Top 100 National Paint The Parks Exhibit 
          Grand Canyon, AZ

2008  St George Museum  2007 Top 100 National Paint The Parks Exhibit 
          St George, UT

2007  Napa Valley Museum,  Juried plein air exhibit, Northern Views
          Yountville, CA.

SELECTED PLEIN AIR EVENTS/EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS

2009  Juried Event '"North Tahoe Plein Air", Truckee, CA
2009, 2008, 2007, 2006  Invited artist to juried event, Estes Park Int'l Plein Air  
          "Painting The Parks", Estes Park, CO.

2009  Judged event, "San Clemente Plein Air", San Clemente, CA
2009  Juried event, LPAPA "Less is More" Plein Air Exhibition, Costa Mesa, CA
2009, 2008, 2007, 2005 Juried Plein Air Competition, "Carmel Art Festival"  
          Carmel, CA
2009  2008 invited artist to juried Plein Air event, Nomadas Del Arte
          "Painting The Southwest En Plein Air", Southwest Gallery, Dallas, TX
2008  Juried Event, Season of Martis Plein Air Competition,
          Truckee, CA
2008  "100 Years of National Parks in Utah" Plein Air Competition,
          Natural bridges NM, Utah
2008, 2007 Juried event, Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout, Alameda, CA.
2008, 2007 Invited artist to "Alameda En Plein Air", Plein Air Exhibit
          Frank Bette Center For The Arts, Alameda, CA
2008, 2006, 2005 Juried Plein Air Exhibit, LPAPA 'The Best of
          Plein Air" Laguna Beach, CA

2008  2007  Juried plein air event,  "Nomadas del Arte", Exhibition at
          the Sage Creek Gallery Santa Fe, NM
2007  Invited artist, "Northern Views" Plein Air Exhibit, 
          I. Wolk Gallery, St Helena, CA. 

2007  Invited artist to the "Gold Country Plein Air Invitational", 
          The Vault Gallery, Sonora, CA.

2006  Judged event, Marin County Fair Plein Air,  San Rafael, CA.

2004  Judged event, Helper Plein Air Competition,  Helper UT

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS