Art Exhibit: Michael Field @ Petit

Compulsion, Frustration, and Passion

Michael Field

Throughout June

Artist Statement:

I am a landscaper painter. I prefer to paint outside on site (Plein Air), but I also do studio paintings with photographs that I have taken as reference material. I am drawn to water. Most of my paintings feature some type of water element in them whether it is a stream, river, lake, or a waterfall. I want to give my paintings a sense of atmosphere, color, and a sense of magic. To record nature as it is but to add emotion and expression without taking away accuracy in painting nature. I am free to create a composition that may change parts of what I am seeing to enhance nature and the viewers’ experience of my artwork. I want to create an emotional response for the viewer.

There are 3 things that are important to me; feeling, imagination, and the ability to communicate. When you look at one of my paintings, I want the viewer to feel like they have been to that very spot before or they wish they could go to that place. We live in such a fast-paced society. I am trying to get the viewer just to slow down and appreciate nature. I want my paintings to touch something in your soul.

About the Artist:

Michael Field, who considers himself a Romantic Landscape Painter, has been a painter of landscapes and portraits for over 20 years. He grew up in Syracuse and attended Westhill High School. He did his undergraduate work at C.W. Post in Long Island and received his Master’s Degree from Le Moyne College.

He started his working career in the business work and was in that world for 20 years before he made a career change and became an art teacher. He was and art teacher for the City of Syracuse School System for 21 years. The last 14 years were at Henninger High School. His goal was to have students have success in art and have fun.

Student development in the Arts was very important to Michael. He was Vice President (2012-2016), and then President (2017-2022) of the Central New York Scholastic Art Show, which is held annually at OCC in January.