Higher Ground Painting

Michele Zuzalek Contemporary Abstracts and Landscapes My paintings are the beginning of a story—a setting that is somewhat recognizable and familiar, but leaves room for the story to be discovered by the viewer. Whether it feels magical and beautiful, or oppressive and ominous, is up to the viewer. Many of my paintings are abstract landscapes that reflect parts of nature. I’m interested in the worn and weathered elements found in the environment with a focus on color, texture, and pattern. With an approach to painting that is spontaneous and intutive, I begin to apply multiple layers of paint. The begining stages develop as I randomly scrape, erase, and add markings to the surface. My artistic influences have been Richard Diebenkorn, for his colors and composition, and Egon Sheille for his directness, expressionist idiom, and how he conveys his most intimate thoughts and private visions. I have a special affinity with the work of the Early American Modernists - in particular, Marsden Hartley and Arthur Dove. I am a graduate of the Art Center College of Design. I studied painting privately with Jack Lynwood, Tom Wudl, Harry Carmean, Lorser Feitelson, and Leo Carrillo. My art is found in private collections internationally, and received numerous awards for my paintings. 805-452-2211 fb: