About Vicki Michael

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Artist Statement

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Vicki Michael is an oil painter exploring the magical, transformational gift of art with its broad horizons of limitless possibilities.  She paints still life compositions using Old Masters’ techniques from her own live setups that incorporate dramatic lighting with a focus on intentional brushwork and vibrant color harmonies.  Her work is described as bold, strong, and dynamic, as well as peaceful, serene, and restful depending upon her choices in the subject matter’s treatment.

 

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Biography

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Vicki Michael was born in Illinois, grew up in Arkansas, pursued education and career interests in California, and now lives and paints in Frederick County, Maryland.  She has been drawn to art since childhood, always dabbling in some form of creativity.  Her first painting classes were at the San Francisco Art Institute in the late 1980’s while employed full-time in the banking/finance industry.  Even though art remained on the back burner for many years, it always beckoned her to explore and learn more.

 

She is primarily a self-taught artist and has studied with several award-winning instructors locally and nationally.  After exploring various media and genres, she is most inspired by a focus on ordinary objects in extraordinary light, the glowing warmth of beautiful color schemes, and intentional brushwork and paint quality.  In the Frederick community, she has served on several nonprofit boards and executive committees including the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, Festival of the Arts, and The Frederick Art Club.  She is a member of Frederick Plein Air Artists and the Loudoun Sketch Club.  While living in California, she served on the board of directors of Business Volunteers for the Arts, Sacramento, which later became the Arts and Business Council of the Sacramento Region.

 

Her paintings can be found in private collections throughout the United States as well as internationally.  Her hope is that her work, which expresses her love of beautiful harmonies, balance, and bold energy, will bring those same qualities to the viewer and in that way will complete the circle of giving and receiving between artist and observer.