Featured Artist Michael Hartstein

Artist Michael Hartstein shares a selection of vibrantly colorful paintings that display nature’s boundless beauty. Find more of his portfolio on his website.

 

 

I’ve been interested in art and design since grade school—that was over fifty years ago. I found that art was the best medium for me to express myself. And I wanted to learn all I could by immersing myself in art, architecture classes and reading every art book I could get my hands on. I love art history. When I looked at the Old Master paintings, I felt they were letting me into their world.

 

 

My career after school was channeled into the construction industry. I designed and remodeled homes and was responsible for designing the space and selecting all the materials.

 

 

This turned into a career as a kitchen and bath designer. I found this to be very rewarding creatively. All the while, I continued to paint, showing my paintings in local galleries and at outdoor art shows.

 

 

I’ve always felt very close to nature, and my paintings reflect some aspect of nature. My style was Impressionistic; however, I find myself moving back and forth from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism to Abstract.

 

 

After I retired from my career as a designer, I became a full-time artist, and try to paint every day.

 

 

Before I start a painting, I spend time thinking about what I want to say on canvas. I also like to be spontaneous. I will let the process during the painting lead to the outcome. Many times, it turns out different than what I thought it was going to be when I first started—a delightful surprise.

 

 

At this time, I am trying a different painting medium—oil/cold wax. With oil and cold wax, I like that I am able to achieve bold colors and create layers. I find that there is a richness in the overall look. Examples of my oil and cold wax images are Garden Party and Cactus Garden.

 

 

My painting style has changed over the years. I find that I’m now moving toward bold colors and less details.  This allows viewers to use their imaginations and draw their own conclusions about what the painting means to them.

 

 

My goal when someone views my painting is to offer an awareness of how nature enriches our lives.

 

Artist Michael Hartstein invites you to follow him on Facebook.

 

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