The Moonlight Hour Print

Born in Europe, Michael Swanson came to North America as a young boy in the 1950’s. Largely self taught, his natural talent has been recognized by collectors throughout America. A past member of the Society of Illustrators (Los Angeles) Michael has won his share of awards. Winsor & Newton, the world premier oil paint manufacturer, has honored him twice Among others, International Artist Magazine ran an in- depth article on his art and painting methods. From a one man show in France to Wayne Gretzky’s Autobiography book, his work continues to be appreciated locally and internationally by those who value quality in art. Along with selected commissions Michael enjoys painting Canadian scenery and other challenging subjects while making his home in Southern Ontario, Canada.------- To paint it or not to paint it has always been the question for me. Specifically; Do I have enough emotional stamina to get into and follow through with the painting I am about to start? To me the act of painting is not only to release or define an emotion, it is to create a work of art worthy of the time it takes to execute it. I believe craftsmanship is an important ingredient in any art whether a landscape, an abstract graphic or building a bird house. Furthermore, if you paint realism, getting a quality likeness is also important. I don’t necessarily mean one has to match a photograph; my main concern is to achieve the character of likeness that tells the viewer in no uncertain terms what it is, preferably with the added character of a self assured execution. We all develop a style subconsciously once you have created paintings for any length of period, how we instinctively paint is who we are and generally how viewers recognize an artist’s work. Some consciously create a signature style that certain viewers gravitate to hoping to help sales; others simply copy styles that they like. I like to create an individual style that matches how I feel about a particular subject I'm about to paint, so my work is all over the place when it comes to style. Realism and painting landscapes to me is not just to create a likeness verbatim but rather to make a statement with each piece that personifies that particular subject. I believe it is the artist’s job to intrepid any subject their way in order to make the point of how a picture speaks to the viewer.