Paul Michael’s paintings are abstract compositions of mere lines and dots. Although intentionally non-referential, they are suggestive of the built environment. While they hold no meaning beyond their fascinating appearance, there is a man-made quality to his mark making. It is in this distinction from the patterns of the natural world that Paul critiques our ever-increasing technological dependence. His intricate worlds of connection, rhythm, and form command our attention. For Graves, they are simply spontaneous moments of improvisation.
Whether he renders his figures in oil or sumi ink, the effect is the same. These pictures reflect mankind’s impulse to create and to communicate non-verbally through symbol and diagram. They tell us a story about ourselves. A musician, a cartographer, or a chemical engineer can all view the same painting and have different experiences. Each is a valid response to the dialogue Graves offers.
Paul Michael studied mathematics at the US Air Force Academy. After 9/11 he turned to oil painting to counter the demands of deploying as a helicopter pilot throughout the 2000s. He received his Master of Architecture from Columbia University in 2015 where he developed his signature abstract linework. Paul Michael is also a trained actor, graduating from the Stella Adler Studio of Acting Professional Conservatory in 2023. Whether acting or painting, Paul’s purpose remains to hold, as it were, the mirror up to nature.
Paul’s art studio is in the West Chelsea Arts Building in Manhattan. See Paul’s work here, here, and here.
Email: paul@paulmichaelgraves.com
