Michael Newberry's Mission Statement

The goal of my major works is to achieve a grand vision placing the individual at the center. Imagine a world in which each individual realizes their unique path and brings out the best within themselves–that is the world I paint. Themes of the people in my paintings deal with self-esteem, confidence, contentment, joy, awareness, and promise.

A very difficult and exciting challenge in art is to match technique to what the people are expressing in the paintings. For me it is not optional, but an essential thing to do. One example is spatial depth. How can an artist dive deep towards the roots of being if they paint flat, and never move beyond the surface? Then there is light. How can an artist turn on the light of the soul by painting with an indifferent light source? How could an artist paint without color when it imbues the painted people and their world with freshness, excitement, newness, and discovery?

Perhaps the most difficult thing of all is creating an integrated, total vision, in which everything moves, gathers, gels--from a profound theme to every seemingly, insignificant detail. By the time I have brought a major painting into existence, I feel the same kind of glowing exhilaration which is projected by the people in my paintings. Hopefully some of you will feel that too.

MN