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Mike Bagdonas
Biographical Information
Biographical Information
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 draughtsman 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
Portico Fine Art, Montecito, CA
Gallery 4, Placerville, 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
WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
2007 Scott Christensen Advanced Plein Air Victor, ID
2007 Carolyn Anderson Portraiture Jackson Hole, WY
2006 Bye Bitney Portraiture Fredericksburg, TX
2005 Scott Christensen Plein Air Jackson Hole, WY
2004 Jim Wilcox Plein Air Jackson Hole, WY
2004 Ray Roberts Portraiture Angels Camp, CA
2003 John Budicin Plein Air Taos, NM
1996 Neil Boyle Figure In Landscape Westlake Village, 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
2008 Edge of Cedars Museum, "100 Years of National parks in Utah"
Plein Air Exhibit, Blanding, Utah
2008 Jefferson Nat'l Expansion Memorial, 2008 Top 100 Paint The
Parks Exhibit, St Louis, MO
2008 Kolb Studio Top 100 National Paint The Parks Exhibit
Grand Canyon, AZ
2008 St George Museum 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
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, 2006 Juried event, Estes Park Plein Air -
Painting The Parks, Estes Park, CO.
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, 2007, 2005 Juried plein air event, Carmel Art Festival
Carmel, CA
2008, 2006, 2005 Juried plein air exhibit, LPAPA 'The Best of
Plein Air" Laguna Beach, CA
2008 Juried plein air event, Nomadas del Arte Exhibition held at the
Sage Creek Gallery Santa Fe, NM, March 2008
2007 Invited artist, "Northern Views" Plein Air Exhibit,
I. Wolk Gallery, St Helena, CA.
2007 Gold Country Plein Air Invitational, The Vault Gallery,
Sonora, CA.
2006 Marin County Fair Plein Air San Rafael, CA.
2004 Helper Plein Air Competition Helper UT
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS
2008 NAPPAP Professional(Signature) member Exhibition,
Adam Whitney Gallery, Omaha, NE
2008 Juried exhibit, OPA Western Regional Exhibition, Devin
Galleries, Coeur d' Alene, ID
2008 Juried event, National Paint The Parks Top 100 Competition
at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, St Louis, MO
2008 California Landscape Painters Exhibition
John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2007 Yosemite Show Invitational Vault Gallery, Sonora, CA
2007 Juried event, National Paint The Parks Top 100
Competition Westboro Fine Arts, Topeka, KS
2007 Juried event, Salon International 2007 Greenhouse Gallery
San Antonio, TX
2007 NAPPAP Professional Member Exhibition Texas Art Gallery
Dallas, TX
2007, 2006, 2004, 2003 Juried event, Celebration of Western Art
Cow Palace San Francisco, CA.
2006 Juried event, LPAPA Less is More Laguna Beach, CA
2006 Juried event, Mother Lode National Art Exhibition
Placerville, CA
2006 Invited artist, Celebration of Life in the West Sunset Magazine
Menlo Park, CA.
2006 Juried event, LPAPA Artist Membership Exhibition
Laguna Beach, CA.
2005 Juried exhibit, California Art Club,"Our national parks",
Womens City Club of Pasadena, CA
2004 Juried event, LPAPA Artist Indoors Laguna Beach, CA.
2003 Invited artist, A Celebration of Art & Wine
Shingle Springs, CA.
AWARDS
2008 Jack Richeson & Co. Award of Merit, Estes Park Plein Air 2008,
Estes Park, CO
2008 Manny's of Denver Quick Draw Third Place Award of merit,
Estes Park Plein Air 2008, Estes Park, CO
2008 Two Paintings in the 2008 Top 100 National Paint The Parks
Competition, St. Louis, MO. (Traveling exhibit for one year)
2008 Two Paintings in the 2008 Second Mini 50, National Paint
The Parks Mini 50 Competition, St. Louis, MO
2007 Artist Choice Award, Estes Park Plein Air 2007,
Cultural Arts Council of Estes Park, Estes Park, CO
2007 Two Paintings in the 2007 Top 100 National Paint The Parks
Competition, Topeka, KS. (Traveling exhibit for one year)
2007 One Painting in the 2007 Second Mini 50 National Paint
The Parks Mini 50 Competition, Topeka, KS
2007 Honorable Mention For Artistic Excellence, Salon Int'l,
International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine
Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX.
2006 4th Place, Marin County Fair Plein Air, San Rafael, CA.
2004 Honorable Mention, Celebration of Western Art, Cow Palace,
San Francisco, CA
PUBLICATIONS
2005 Article published in Foothill Style Magazine
September issue, Page 24
WORKSHOPS HELD
2008 Five Day Figure/Portraiture live model Quick Study
Workshop, Gallery 4, Placerville, CA
2008 One Day Plein Air Painting Demonstration through
the John Natsoulas Gallery at The Farm At Putah Creek,
Winters, CA
2006 One Day Western Oil Painting Techniques Workshop
Placerville, CA.
PLEIN AIR TRIPS
2008, 2007, Fall Color Plein Air painting in Zion Nat'l park
2004 Plein Air Painting Lake Ediza (Ansel Adams Wilderness)
Sierra Nevada Mountains 5 Day backpack trip
2004 Plein Air Painting in Italy three and a half weeks
2003 Plein Air Painting on the rivers of Europe two weeks
THE END
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