Artist Proof Management
michael provenza
represented artist
www.michaelprovenza.com
How much can one learn by looking at his work? A review of contemporary oil painter Michael Provenza’s newest pieces reveals a great deal about the enthusiastic artist’s life and passions. Michael’s inspirational stories combined with the paths appearing in every scene of his recent work are quickly giving him the title “Painter of Paths.”
Michael’s personal journey as an artist began in his childhood. Born in 1964 in Los Gatos, California and raised in the heart of Silicon Valley, Michael showed aptitude for art at an early age. “I’ve always had a strong imagination as a kid and I loved to depict my ideas on paper by copying my favorite cartoons and environments (free-hand) when I was in elementary school,” Michael recalls.
In 1983, Michael’s favorite art teacher introduced him to oils and he never looked back. Michael went on to study fine arts at West Valley College earning an Associates of Arts degree. He continued pursuing his art career through teaching oil painting, studying and painting with well-known artists, traveling, and exhibiting his work in galleries and regional art and wine festivals in Northern California. Michael gained awards and recognition including Best of Show, Silicon Art Convention; Most Popular, “The Art Spirit” Art Show, San Jose; and, 1st Place, “Fairgoers Choice Award,” Santa Clara County Art Fair.
Through the late eighties and early nineties Michael focused on his painting technique using oils. He was also passionate about developing a unique style different from any other artist. “It’s important to me to have my own style so I first began to develop it through relentless practice and study of traditional styles, mainly influenced by the old masters, as a foundation,” Michael explains. “I studied Seraut for his pointillistic approach and Michelangelo for his use of color, light and depth.”
Michael’s career has encompassed many different fields in the art industry. In addition to oil painting, the artist has also designed a number of 3D environments for video games, illustrated book covers, greeting cards, painted murals and sculptures for museums, as well as residential and commercial murals for homes, companies and television.
After Michael graduated from college, he was recruited by a computer gaming company in Silicon Valley. By applying his artistic talent in the 2D/3D revolutionary computer games industry, he was compelled to explore and diversify his creativity. He worked as an art director on video game projects where he was free to imagine and create virtual worlds. Michael worked directly with Disney and Sony, as well as actors such as Kirk Cameron, to produce video games for XBOX and PlayStation. “The animated and 3D experience combined with my traditional oil painting foundation, was a tremendous jumping off point in further developing ‘my style’ that I am truly passionate about because it flowed naturally in sequence with my imagination to create,” explains Michael.
Michael began to integrate his concepts from the virtual worlds he created for video games into his oil paintings which was the beginning of his new series, Life’s Journey. “My recent body of work is often characterized as realistic surrealism,” Michael explains. Life’s Journey is a blend of Michael’s new vision and distinct style with his original subject matter which creates these surreal environments combined with realistic and traditional painting techniques ultimately bringing his paintings to life.
In 2001, an important family decision to be geographically close to his eldest son drew him to the charming, historical town of Perrysburg, Ohio at the base of the Great Lakes where he currently resides and continues to produce original oil paintings.
Michael’s passion is to create oil paintings to share his creations and the feeling of joy. “My motivation and inspiration today is that I am wired to paint and have been given the talent to do so. What better way to glorify God by painting through the very gift He has given me,” explains Michael. “I have been told by clients and collectors that my work is beautiful and vibrant and feels as if they can walk right into my paintings they want to be there.
This is a statement that is repeated by many viewers of my work.”
represented artist
www.michaelprovenza.com
Michael’s personal journey as an artist began in his childhood. Born in 1964 in Los Gatos, California and raised in the heart of Silicon Valley, Michael showed aptitude for art at an early age. “I’ve always had a strong imagination as a kid and I loved to depict my ideas on paper by copying my favorite cartoons and environments (free-hand) when I was in elementary school,” Michael recalls.
In 1983, Michael’s favorite art teacher introduced him to oils and he never looked back. Michael went on to study fine arts at West Valley College earning an Associates of Arts degree. He continued pursuing his art career through teaching oil painting, studying and painting with well-known artists, traveling, and exhibiting his work in galleries and regional art and wine festivals in Northern California. Michael gained awards and recognition including Best of Show, Silicon Art Convention; Most Popular, “The Art Spirit” Art Show, San Jose; and, 1st Place, “Fairgoers Choice Award,” Santa Clara County Art Fair.
Michael’s career has encompassed many different fields in the art industry. In addition to oil painting, the artist has also designed a number of 3D environments for video games, illustrated book covers, greeting cards, painted murals and sculptures for museums, as well as residential and commercial murals for homes, companies and television.
After Michael graduated from college, he was recruited by a computer gaming company in Silicon Valley. By applying his artistic talent in the 2D/3D revolutionary computer games industry, he was compelled to explore and diversify his creativity. He worked as an art director on video game projects where he was free to imagine and create virtual worlds. Michael worked directly with Disney and Sony, as well as actors such as Kirk Cameron, to produce video games for XBOX and PlayStation. “The animated and 3D experience combined with my traditional oil painting foundation, was a tremendous jumping off point in further developing ‘my style’ that I am truly passionate about because it flowed naturally in sequence with my imagination to create,” explains Michael.
Michael began to integrate his concepts from the virtual worlds he created for video games into his oil paintings which was the beginning of his new series, Life’s Journey. “My recent body of work is often characterized as realistic surrealism,” Michael explains. Life’s Journey is a blend of Michael’s new vision and distinct style with his original subject matter which creates these surreal environments combined with realistic and traditional painting techniques ultimately bringing his paintings to life.
Michael’s passion is to create oil paintings to share his creations and the feeling of joy. “My motivation and inspiration today is that I am wired to paint and have been given the talent to do so. What better way to glorify God by painting through the very gift He has given me,” explains Michael. “I have been told by clients and collectors that my work is beautiful and vibrant and feels as if they can walk right into my paintings they want to be there.
This is a statement that is repeated by many viewers of my work.”
