Modern Compositions: Art by Michael Mahoney
Still Life, Divertimento II, oil on canvas mounted on wood panel
Artist Michael Mahoney works in oil paint and pastel, creating subdued still-life images of modern compositions and subjects. Michael spent years as a painting instructor and art educator before taking the leap into a full-time personal practice.
Still Life with Milk Bottles, pastel on paper
I enjoy the soft, blended approach that Michael takes with his imagery. Though the objects and textures that he chooses to paint vary widely, the artist manages to create very cohesive compositions and series of paintings by applying a gentle, soft blended technique. In many cases I find that Michael’s color palette is also ever-so-slightly muted, giving each work a slightly nostalgic feeling, as though one is looking at a weathered photograph.
The objects pictured in Michael’s newer still-life works are charming and playful. Musical instruments, children’s toys, and modern, plastic items of all varieties play a large role in the imagery. Arranged in classical, vanitas-style tabletop collections, the items express a tension between a time-honored painting style, and the objects of a contemporary world.
Still Life with a Vase and Horns, pastel on paper mounted on board