Michael Orwick

I last took part in Open Studios 10 years ago. I loved it but the amount of work both before and after is incredible. As a full-time artist that also teaches and shows in 8 different galleries time is very important to me. So it was with much consideration and convincing of my amazing family that it was time to take part in this amazing event again. So much has changed in the last 10 years and I can’t wait to share all that I have learned with you all.

As a native Oregonian, I cannot separate my art from my love of the Pacific Northwest. The coast, mountains, and meadows, each infused with mysterious light and atmosphere, weave narratives into their settings. I am inspired to tell their stories with my paint and brush strokes. Inspiration comes so naturally here.

I attended the University of Oregon for a few years to establish a business foundation, then finished with a Fine Arts degree in Illustration from the Pacific Northwest College of Art. I immediately took on an internship with Will Vinton Studios (now Laika Studio), and also began to focus on children’s book illustrations. But, true to the predictions of my professors, after a few years as an illustrator, my true passion as an oil painter prevailed, and I began my career as a full-time oil painter fifteen years ago. I was blessed with a nearly immediate collector base that found something in my work that resonated with them.

I love working on my personal projects for the galleries, as well as on commissioned paintings for clients, whether for private, corporate or civic displays. I show in eight galleries across the country.

On a typical day, you can find me working in my home studio or outside painting Plein-air in some beautiful location. I also teach oil painting and give seminars.

Last year, my wife, eleven-year-old daughter and I took the year off from “real life” to travel the world. We visited twenty-one countries and painted with over 500 inspiring children from various orphanages and schools as part of our cause, which we called Studio Everywhere. This year it is my goal to reflect on that trip and create works of art that celebrate that special chapter in our lives.

Thank you for this opportunity to share our adventures and explorations through my art. I look forward to meeting all of you. Please feel free to introduce yourselves.

Artist Statement and the thread that binds all my work
As a painter, the effects of light and atmosphere are what I remember about a location and what inspires me most. Light transforms the ordinary or even beautiful into the exceptional. My quest is to capture these fleeting moments and help people see things again through new eyes.