Michael Price

Artist Statement

For over fifty years, my work has explored imagery through Western mythological and psychological archetypes, illuminating the many dimensions of the human condition; the beautiful, the inhumane, and at times the absurd. The writings of C. G. Jung and Paul Tillich have been enduring influences, opening a path into the depth of the psyche and the boundless terrain of the imagination.

I understand imagination as a meditative space that exists beyond linear time. It is activated through attention, through looking, listening, and remaining receptive to moments of quiet intensity. These moments may arise anywhere: in a museum, at a concert or opera, or in the fleeting observations of everyday life. As Jung noted, “One cannot meditate sitting next to a telephone.”

At the core of my practice is an exploration of natural color, using pigments derived from rocks and crystals which expand the perceived nuances of the phenomenal world. I often incorporate gold leaf with the pigments, continuing the lineage of Renaissance craftsmanship, a tradition I began to rediscover in the late 1980s. This painting process allows a chromatic depth and luminous stratification unattainable with modern materials.

I usually work with a theme/concept in mind. This may vary from ten to twenty paintings. The work is essentially figurative but sometimes moves with fluidity into abstraction and geometric form. Over time, this process has evolved through a dialogue between classical European traditions and cross-cultural synchronicities, including most recently, Mayan iconography.