Subway Unplugged Painting

Mike Rimbaud, an American artist from New York City has a painting style that evokes Daumier, Otto Dix, Alice Neel and George Bellows as well as influences from underground American comic book illustrators such as Robert Crumb. Mike has taught at the School of Visual Arts and is also a rock songwriter who has released nine albums of his original songs. As a native New Yorker and long time resident, the city has inspired much of his artwork including a series of Lower East Side portraits and subway scenes. Other subject mater includes rock musicians, dinosaurs, burlesque and belly dancers. “I have always enjoyed painting people, sometimes my work borders on caricature and cartoons. Songwriting and music is a way to express myself with words and sound, while painting allows my to visualize my feelings and visions in ways that music can’t. It’s the difference between the ears and the eyes.” Excerpt of an interview published in The Villager (New York City weekly paper) "Lower East Sides Renaissance man" By Ernest Barteldes, The Villager There's no shortage of characters in New York, says portraitist Michael Rimbaud. In fact, there's a surplus including Phyllis Sanfiorenzo, above, an actress Rimbaud met on Rivington Street. A keen observer of the comings and goings of his neighborhood, Lower East Side artist and musician Michael Rimbaud has spent the past few years painting portraits of every local resident that catches his eye the butcher, the baker and even the undertaker, says Rimbaud. In the past year alone, he’s painted 50 portraits of personal friends and people hes approached on the street. Many are on view now through February at The Theater for The New City Gallery (155 1st Ave. at 9th street). We spoke to Rimbaud about his exhibit, Lower East Side Portraits, and what it takes to be a Renaissance man. You're a musician, painter and graphic designer. How do you see yourself as an artist in general? I am an artist with many interests, primarily painting and rock music.Graphic design helps pay the rent and I teach computer graphics, too. Leonardo DaVinci was the real Renaissance man. He wasn’t only a great painter and sculptor, he invented flying machines and submarines, weapons of small destruction and he also dissected humans. Your show at TNC how would you describe it? With Lower East Side Portraits I want to show the variety of people that live in this culturally rich neighborhood.