 | Using color, perspective, technique and vision, the work of Michael Flohr depicts ordinary moments in extraordinary ways.
Flohr is a young California artist, currently living and working in San Diego where he was enrolled in his first art class at the age of five. His family's encouragement and conviction in his talents led him to pursue a degree at the San Francisco Academy of Art College. At the academy, Flohr was able to experiment with all types of media and artistic styles.
In 1999, Flohr's illustration work was recognized by his acceptance into New York Society of Illustrators, where he joined the ranks of legendary predecessors such as Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish and N.C. Wyeth. He was awarded the Herman Lambert scholarship by the Society in the following year. Flohr graduated from the Academy of Art in 2000 and was honored with Best of Show for his painting titled, "Irish Coffee."
"There is a flow that I try to keep in my paintings that evolves into a story of colors and movement that breathe together. My goal is to capture a gesture and a mood, not necessarily every pore on the face of a person depicted in one of my paintings. I want my figures to be a part of the painting, not the painting itself. "
Shortly thereafter, three of Flohr's paintings were selected for exhibition at the de Young Museum, San Francisco's oldest public museum located in Golden Gate Park. There, his work hung in the company of other master painters including one of Flohr's most revered inspirations, Claude Monet.
Flohr's paintings cover subject matter ranging from nightlife scenes, cityscapes, still lifes and figurative portraiture. His work is primarily urban in content, frantic in execution and full of the daily acts of life
Flohr's paintings have an ability to capture a fleeting moment, as if from a peripheral vision, somewhat of a "déjà vuä" for the viewer. Bordering the surreal, yet strangely familiar, Flohr's images portray what can only be the artist's personal study of the mysteries of a an average, everyday moment in time.
An avant-garde treatment of imagery, his work is obvioulsy influenced by the Impressionists with dashes of abstract expressionism. Static movement is uniquely portrayed in his work through his brushstroke technique, use of light and sumptuous, yet somber color.
Flohr does not work with static models. Instead, he will sketch in the moment as a scene unfolds, most often with charcoal. Many times, his sketches will become works of art in themselves. On occasion, the artist will work with candid photographs. Capturing the visual clues in a scene is imperative to Flohr as he considers the overwhelming choices of color used to create his interpretation of an image.
The artist comments, "Observation is everything for me. Whether it is seen, heard or read, it is all connected to that which can be processed into a visual."
Michael Flohr's passion for his art parallels his passion for life.
Flohr claims his biggest inspiration in creating his art is everyday life. He strives to express the familiar in his work and to communicate a common thread from the contxt of his subjects to his viewers. "I want to tell a story with substance," Flohr admits.
Flohr admits to being inspired by the works of the great Impressionist artists throughout history, specifically: Pissaro, Monet, Manet and Degas. Like these artists, Flohr prefers to work in oils. "I love oil paint because of its durability and the richness it brings to the canvas."
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