Tag: <span>mural</span>

Photo by Brian McDonald Artist

Happy Fall 2023

I hope this message finds you well.
A lot has been happening around my studio this summer and fall. Here are some of the highlights.

This fall I have a show of Crinkle Paintings on display at Paco Bar and Lounge in Seattle.
1408 E. Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122

A closing reception will be held on Friday October 27th from 6-10pm

Photo by Brian McDonald

This is the first time that I have presented my crinkle paintings all in one place. These works were my response to the inscrutable lock-down era of the pandemic, an exploration of the complexities of globally prevalent enigmatic emotions, and the individuated passage of time incapsulated in the process. The result creates a pareidolia effect in the eye of the viewer. 
This exhibition is part of the Center on Contemporary Art : ShowWalls project. 
More information here:
https://www.cocaseattle.org/2023/poco/mihalyo

Unique, Like Everyone by Nicole Renée La Follette

Unique, Like Everyone by Nicole Renée La Follette
Unique, Like Everyone by Nicole Renée La Follette

In August a poetry book by Nicole Renée La Follette was released with my artwork adorning the cover and interior pages.  The source image for the cover is my 2015 painting “Flower Temple”. (The original painting resides with a collector in Tel Aviv). 

The image was flipped horizontally in order to accommodate the cover text and graphics while interior pages are full page enlargements of cover art selections. I also designed the log and constructed the website/e-commerce platform for the project.

It was a joy to work with Nicole in order to help manifest her dream of publishing her first book.  

Unique, Like Everyone is available at Queen Jester Press: https://queenjesterpress.com

2023 Websites:

In 2023 I created and launched two additional art related websites that I am proud of. 

Thelabseattle.com is a large collection of art housed in a former industrial laser laboratory in Bellevue Washington. The goal of the site is to showcase the collection and to facilitate engagement, education and research of post-war and contemporary art. There are so many artworks in the collection that I am still adding to the site. It is an honor to be working on this ongoing project. 

Shop.ninaladen.com is an custom e-commerce site for the artwork of award winning children’s book author and illustrator Nina Laden. Nina is a fire-hose of content and she utilizes this site sell her artwork directly to her buyers and collectors.  As the publishing industry has not provided as much returns for her as in the past, this site has augmented those losses consistently. Currently she sells framed originals and prints. Soon we will add jewelry and other objects of art. We work well together and am happy to help her reach her goals. 

Seaside Mural restoration and re-installation

The 600 square-foot Clatsop/Nehalem mural was originally paintings by Roger Cooke in 2006 and was damaged in a car accident last year. The driver jumped the sidewalk and struck the building on which the painting was mounted. The artwork was removed and sent to Seattle for restoration. I spent the majority of my time this past winter and spring repairing the sub-straight and painting.

In early July the mural was reinstalled in Seaside Oregon in its original location. A ceremony was held in downtown Seaside on July 6th 2023 that included tribal members, local officials, patrons and the public. During the ceremony the tribes gifted me with a blanket. It was a powerfully emotional moment that I will never forget. 

The Seaside Signal published an article about the project and reinstallation that can be read at the link here:
https://www.seasidesignal.com/news/seaside-mural-honoring-clatsop-nehalem-repaired/article_fc40cdce-1f71-11ee-bd7d-07d47a4a61ab.html

Photo by Kim Rose Adams
Photo by Kim Rose Adams

Shop.mihalyo.com

Meanwhile I continue to add available art to my e-commerce site at https://shop.mihalyo.com/
Recent updates include original art, printmaking and Giclée editions of recent paintings. 
Thank you to those who have purchased my artwork in recent months. I really appreciate it. 

Stay safe out there everyone. 

Artist

Happy New Year 2023

Hello from Mihalyo Studios. I hope this message finds you well.
Below are some activities that have kept me occupied recently. 

The Clatsop-Nehalem Mural Restoration
 For the last four months I have been working on a large scale mural restoration project for the Clatsop-Nehalem tribes of Northwest Oregon.  This 600sf public-art mural was originally created in 2008 by Roger Cooke (1942-2012) who painted more than 60 murals across the country. Many in Oregon State.  In 2021 the mural was damaged in a car accident and removed from the wall on which it resides in downtown Seaside and shipped to Seattle for repairs. 

An article about the project written in June 2022 can be read at The Seaside Signal HERE

Interior view of mural restoration job site.
Interior view of mural restoration job site.

Nearly every inch of this mural needed repairs. 
The substrate is Aluminum Composite Material (or Dibond). It is a relatively new product on the market and requires specialty products to repair damaged material. In this case each panel had metal corrosion on both sides, as well as dents, scratches, graffiti and holes. I developed experiments and solutions for each step of the restoration process with the goal of extending the life of the mural another 15-20 years.

Detail section of portrait restoration process (before and after).
Detail section of portrait restoration process (before and after).

Roger Cooke worked with color differently to my studio practice. His use of black mixed into every color was masterful. While restoring his mural I was surprised how effective and efficient his color work was. It has been ten years since his passing and he has a new student in me.  

This mural returns to its original location on the Ace Hardware building in Seaside Oregon at Broadway and Holliday Dr. in the spring of 2023. Donations towards the project can be made at their GoFundMe page HERE and will help with installation and ongoing maintenance.

Our last public viewing in Seattle before delivery to Seaside will be held on Saturday Feb 18th, 2023. 2-6pm.
Location:
119 Prefontaine Pl. S,
Seattle WA 98104

The Mannequin Returns

Painted mannequin in 1971 VW Bus
Painted mannequin in 1971 VW Bus

In 2014 I was commissioned to paint a mannequin for a collector. Later it was placed in storage and eventually acquired by someone with another storage unit. 
One day a received a call and was asked if I wanted it back. I did. Although scratched and dirty, I spent some time repairing it and added a few new details. It is difficult to find full body mannequins in good shape these days. I’ve had a lot of fun placing this mannequin in various locations and scenes. 

Painted mannequin in the wild
Painted mannequin in the wild

Oh, the places we will go. Maybe even the carpool lane. 

SeArtNow

In July of 2022 a web based project I’ve been working on titled SeArtNow went live. 

SeArtNow logo
SeArtNow logo

SeArtNow.com includes current listings, exhibitions and maps of the regional arts community in Puget Sound. This is a one stop place to find your way around the visual art scene there.

The Seattle Art Dealers Association facilitates the project and hired me to build and maintain it monthly. My focus is on backend and publishing operations as all design-work was established when I came onboard. Plans for expansion are underway. Its a challenging project with many participants and lots of potential.  For me this project is a culmination of decades building and maintaining web sites for art galleries and artists in the Puget Sound area. 

Happy Lunar New Year of the (Water) Rabbit. 
Stay safe out there.

Jeff

Mural

The Lighthouse Roasters Mural

In June of 2020 I completed and installed a mural for Lighthouse Roasters in Seattle located at 400 N 43rd St, in Seattle.

During the Covid19 pandemic the business requested artistic signage to adorn their facade while they partially re-open to the public. 

light house sketch sketchbook drawing 8.5x5.5
light house sketch sketchbook drawing 8.5×5.5

The process started with sketchbook drawings. The final design was later scaled-up to the full size panels using roll paper. Once fully drafted, I traced the image backwards and pressure-transferred the drawings onto the final surface in my studio.

Lighthouse drawing graphite on paper 30 x 156 inches
Lighthouse drawing graphite on paper 30 x 156 inches

Utilizing traditional painting methods I rendered the image freehand in sections but took care to color match each panel to the next.

Mural in progress Studio view acrylic on panel 30 x 156 inches
Mural in progress – studio view, acrylic on panel, 30 x 156 inches

The first panel installed included signage as the business was open with limited hours. The verbiage requested asked customers to Social Distance, to wear a mask and preferred that they perform card transactions. I made light of bank card aesthetics with type and effects using silver paint and the company logo as the chip hologram. 

I delivered the centerpiece and final small panel a week later. The imagery relates to the company name “Lighthouse” and their core business of delivering coffee shots and bags of whole beans or grounds

The Lighthouse Mural, acrylic on panel, 30 x 156 inches, 2020
The Lighthouse Mural, acrylic on panel, 30 x 156 inches, 2020

Humans of all colors casually soak in individual cups of coffee and are tied with payer flags to an uprooted lighthouse floating in the sky. In the distance are mountains of lighthouse labeled bags jutting out of an island of coffee beans.

Coffee Bean Island (detail), acrylic on panel, 30 x 24 inches. 2020
Coffee Bean Island (detail), acrylic on panel, 30 x 24 inches. 2020

The total width of the mural is just under 13 feet and fills nearly half the hight of the storefront windows. The colors used were intentionally selected to match those of the building. The sectional panels are designed so if the signage needs to be changed in the future, that it can be done so with relative ease. 

Lighthouse Mural (installation view)
Lighthouse Mural (installation view)

The mural is visible from across the street or from passing vehicles on the corner of North 43rd and Phinney Ave. North in Seattle’s upper Fremont neighborhood.