PLASTIC WORKS
My current body of work is focused on a part of society with no direct voice—children. Our culture is filled with countless distractions including electronic devices, 24-hour cable news, video games, etc., and I am concerned about occurs while we are looking away. Only since I became a father did this become so important. My perception of the world changed quickly and completely. I understand what can happen in that one moment when…
These paintings are asking you what are the consequences when we, as a culture, become less connected and less aware. When do we as a society need to bare responsibility when neglect is obvious? These are difficult questions that need to be asked.
ARTWORK
In the painting Yippee-Yi-, Mickelson questions if it is reasonable to allow an eight-year old handle an Uzi at a public gun fair? In Alemany Exit, he asks the viewer “who looks out for the kids in the back seat when the driver experiences road rage”? The artist is also the model. The painting Terrarium, examines if it is wise to keep large snakes in the same home with infants? (Apparently many people do.) The diptych Twins shares with us a bizarre true story of twin children separated at birth who later met and married as adults. Look How They Make Toys Now is his statement saying that we, as a community, take care of our children better than a child does with their own toys.
TECHNIQUE
“My technique begins as a fully executed oil painting on a panel. Before painting, I cut out a loose outline of what will be the final shape. Depending on the image, I pour resin onto the finished painting in what I call a “mould-frame”. Sometimes I will mask out shapes and add pigment to the resin to adjust the opacity. This way I can direct the viewer to the focal points in the manner of my choosing. There can be up to 3-4 separate pours. I then take a jigsaw and sculpt and sand final shape.”
These paintings are asking you what are the consequences when we, as a culture, become less connected and less aware. When do we as a society need to bare responsibility when neglect is obvious? These are difficult questions that need to be asked.
ARTWORK
In the painting Yippee-Yi-, Mickelson questions if it is reasonable to allow an eight-year old handle an Uzi at a public gun fair? In Alemany Exit, he asks the viewer “who looks out for the kids in the back seat when the driver experiences road rage”? The artist is also the model. The painting Terrarium, examines if it is wise to keep large snakes in the same home with infants? (Apparently many people do.) The diptych Twins shares with us a bizarre true story of twin children separated at birth who later met and married as adults. Look How They Make Toys Now is his statement saying that we, as a community, take care of our children better than a child does with their own toys.
TECHNIQUE
“My technique begins as a fully executed oil painting on a panel. Before painting, I cut out a loose outline of what will be the final shape. Depending on the image, I pour resin onto the finished painting in what I call a “mould-frame”. Sometimes I will mask out shapes and add pigment to the resin to adjust the opacity. This way I can direct the viewer to the focal points in the manner of my choosing. There can be up to 3-4 separate pours. I then take a jigsaw and sculpt and sand final shape.”
