"Bringing the Museum to You"

By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature works by contemporary Utah landscape artist Michael Workman, continuing our study of American landscape painters.

 

Born in 1959, Michael Workman grew up on his family's small farm in Highland, Utah. As a youth, he became interested in the LDS Church and later served a mission in Melbourne, Australia. He studied painting and drawing at Brigham Young University, receiving first his BA and then completing his Masters in Fine Art in 1992. He worked his way through school as an Architectural Illustrator for Rick Kinateder, of Orem. Much of Michael's work includes some architectural influence similar to the Baroque period, derived from the seven years he was an illustrator. While participating in the yearly student art exhibits at BYU, he was discovered by a representative of the Meyer Gallery, who today sell his work in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and in Scottsdale, Arizona.

 

His style is "contemporary traditionalism" as noted by Focus/Santa Fe magazine. The new Dictionary of Utah Art terms Workman " . . . outstanding... (he) is considered one of the major American Contemporary Tonalist painters."

 

For the last five years Michael has made his living as a gallery artist. He lives in the historic town of Spring City, Utah, with his wife and five children, surrounded by the rural scenery he loves, working on paintings, and dabbling in agriculture with his own small "gentleman's farm."

 

Michael Workman has been an invited artist at several major exhibitions including the Artists of America shows in Denver, Colorado; Northwest Rendezvous in Park City, Utah; Western Classics Show in Scottsdale, Arizona; "As They See It" Show at the Salt Lake City, Utah, Art Center; and the "LDS Artists" Exhibit at the LDS Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake. In addition, Workman has been featured in several publications including Leading the West - 100 Contemporary Painters and Sculptors, by Don Hagerty, and in Utah Painting and Sculpture, by Dr. Vern G. Swanson.

 

         Artist Statement/Philosophy

 

When asked for an artist statement I try to keep it simple; I am a "contemporary traditionalist." I know that sounds contradictory, but I hope I can be up-to-date, and still honor tradition. My watchword is beauty. It is not difficult to see that we live in a world that is full of turmoil. On the other hand, it is easy to be tempted by the cliche. Rather than choose between angst or picturesque beauty, I hope to offer a reminder that there is beauty in the ordinary. One thing that is consistent in art history, is the opposition between different ideas, i.e.: contemporary vs. traditional, romantic vs. classic, naturalistic vs. abstract, etc. I decided years ago not to choose between the opposites, but instead work to bring them together in a beautiful way. When asked for an artistic statement one is tempted to try to impress with intellectual rhetoric, but my statement is simple: "There are still good things."