Artist's Statement
I have always been drawn to landscapes because of the way they make me feel. Each scene, whether it’s the chill of wintry morning light on a canyon surface, the dizzy shimmer of heat on an arid plane, the awe of gathering clouds or sleepy shadows engulfing a lazing stream, create a certain response in me. As an artist, I try to express those effects in my paintings.
Each work is an exploration of value. Detail is added to create textural interest. In my most recent paintings, I am exploring the luminous quality of oil. The glow of light through transparent layers of paint helps create an exciting sense of color and depth in the painting. I hope the finished work succeeds in conveying the feeling of the landscape.
Artist's Bio
Michael Aitken is a realist painter who lives and works in Salt Lake City, Utah. A native Utahan, his paintings celebrate the landscape of the American southwest. His detailed style captures the distinct sense of light and atmosphere so characteristic of the desert.
Striking scenes of red rock formations, clouds at sunset, and broad vistas are all brought together with contrasting light, color and bold composition. As the artist explains, “I wish the viewer to experience the soul of the place.”
As a youth Michael first became aware of art as a profession during a field trip to an exhibition of local artists. He later became a participating member and studied with one of the leading members of the association. He later earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
Michael’s paintings have been shown in exhibitions all over the United States, including “A View of Nine” at the Utah Art Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, “Arts in the Parks” top 100 in Jackson, Wyoming, American Watercolor Society annual exhibition, New York and members’ exhibition, National Watercolor Society, San Pedro, California.
