Artist of the Month April 2017

Michael Polomik

Raleigh

I live in a burb of Raleigh, North Carolina. When not painting, I help prosthetic/orthotic patients, teach art, drive my Volvo really fast like a trashy European, and listen to podcasts regarding science and social issues.

How and when did you start creating art?

As early as I can remember I was making images like most children. The connections I formed with people through them viewing my art was a big factor that kept me coming back to it. My father also encouraged my painting. He always did it as a hobby himself so he’d give me paint by numbers to do alongside him. More importantly he gave me scrap paper that had engineering diagrams on the other side, which I would draw into, and I often attribute as influencing the development of my style.

What media and genres do you work in?

Mostly oil paint but I also use a variety of other painting/drawing media, as well as found object installation and dust drawing / relief sculpture. Really wanting to dive back into more printmaking after seeing a large Escher exhibition recently.

Who or what are your influences?

Caves and trees

What was your inspiration for The Guardian?

Wanderlust

Describe your creative process?

My process always varies. Sometimes I sketch a detailed plan, sometimes I just start painting, sometimes I pound my head on the table until something falls out. Usually though it consists of a plan with a digital collage that I loosely paint from. Concepts are at times preconceived, though they also arise as I react to images within the sketch.

What are you working on currently?

I am currently working on a body of paintings that I plan to show this year in Philadelphia and Atlanta

What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

I mostly just hope to continue finding as much time as possible to create. When I look back on my life, it is one of the things that makes me feel best about having spent time accomplishing.

Where can people view/purchase your work (gallery, website, etc)?

My website is www.michaelpolomik.com. I keep it up to date with galleries where I am showing and can be contacted on the website to purchase work through me directly.