Jerry Michalak

Wetlands Reflections

Oil on linen

Porcelain, gold leaf

24 x 36 inches

More Info:

This painting, "Wetlands Reflections" is an ongoing exploration of waterfalls and wetland imagery used as subject matter for my paintings.

Bio:

Jerry Michalak is an educator and artist, who studied with Modernist Alexander Minewski and Abstract Expressionist painter, Joop Sanders. He earned his post-graduate degree at SUNY New Paltz in painting and photography. For several years, he has developed a distinct series of abstract winter landscapes, particularly wooded scenes rendered in a muted tone. These works echo composer John Cage’s idea that “There’s not enough nothing in it,” inviting viewers into a contemplative space where visibility dissolves and form give way to atmosphere tensions. As New York Times critic Benjamin Genocchio wrote, “Beginning with depictions of landscapes, he gradually covers them with layers of white paint until they disappear, imitating the effects of a snowstorm… they are incandescent.” (Weather Channel Exhibit, Islip Art Museum). In recent years he has expanded his exploration in nature to include more expressive and abstract imagery in a series of imaginative waterfalls and wetlands paintings. Jerry has exhibited throughout the Hudson Valley, being invited to participate in several solo and juried exhibits. For further information: www.jmichalak.com

Statement:

Artist Statement: Jerry Michalak www.jmichalak.com My work is deeply rooted in the ever-evolving appearance of wooded landscapes and wetlands, with an interest in the textures and colors found in seasonal surroundings. With a foundation in black and white photography, I spent several years documenting ice, water, snow, and the dense bramble that defines these natural spaces. Over time, that photographic practice began to influence my painting, leading to an expressive and abstract body of work. “Winter Wetlands Reflections” combines elements from an ongoing series of wetland and winter paintings reflecting on observed and imagined realities. Texture, layering, and compositional tensions replace a narrative clarity, inviting viewers to engage in the act of looking. What remains is a constant search for the obvious and hidden elements in nature.