Open Studios Santa Cruz artist Michael Mote invites you to his studio on Oct. 4 & 5 for the annual art tour from 11am -5pm.
Michael's paintings represent a deep and spiritual connection with the ocean, nature, and/or the figure. These paintings reflect a feeling of space and mood instead of depicting specific places, things, or people; the subject is the mystery of life, and the timeless feeling of beauty that is above daily experience.
"Painting for me is like a meditation in which time and space disappears as I move into the world of the painting. Lately, my working process has become increasingly less analytical and more responsive to an intuitive process. I abstract reality, and reveal the power of light, color and atmosphere to create an emotional mood. Instead of beginning a painting with a specific image, I start with a key, central emotion and mood, and memories that align with these. The concept is often vague at first, but clarifies as the painting develops, and I focus on the mood and react to what is on the canvas. I balance brushwork with ethereal fields of color and space, keep some areas relatively detailed while others are more mysterious and primarily atmospheric. This intuitive process allows a more spiritual element to fuse with the painting. I stop before I render the painting too clearly, always remembering to keep the subject loose and open to allow the viewer space for his or her individual interpretation and emotional response. It is my hope that when viewing my paintings, the viewer experiences a truth that rises above everyday experience, an appreciation of the importance of the inner beauty and essence of life." said the artist.
You can see Michael's beautiful paintings the first weekend of Open Studios Santa Cruz at 803 Estates Drive, Aptos, CA
