Michael Kivisto
Michael Kivisto Artist Profile
michaelkivisto@hotmail.com
Michael Kivisto was born and grew up in Plymouth, Michigan. His dad, Alvar, traveled the world for his job as a service engineer and it’s the stories he told from the road, the unfamiliar, exotic smells drifting from his open suitcase, and the magical feel of his foreign coins that sparked Michael’s interest in traveling.
In 2007 after achieving his ultimate dream of a 2.5 year adventure around-the-world, visiting 40 countries on six continents, including 11 months in Latin America, the long time Chicago resident returned to the Windy City, but not for long. After visiting 50 countries in his life, Michael learned that one will never truly experience the nuances and joys of a country’s culture without living there, so, given his knowledge of Spanish and his wonderful experience riding a bicycle throughout the mountains of Andalucia, he decided to move to Spain.
Throughout his extensive travels Michael found constant inspiration for writing elaborate international tales and drawing strange, twisted shapes reflecting the new world around him but it was in Spain, the home of his painting idols Dali and Picasso, that he began to express his ideas, thoughts and worldly-perspective with a paintbrush. Working mostly in acrylics and oil-based marker on canvas paper, Michael creates contemporary vibrant art that first draws the viewer in with its colors and then holds his attention with details that one can’t help but contemplate. If you ask Michael himself, he will say he creates “accidental art” because he never knows what is going to happen when he starts a new piece; however, the sharp lines and steadiness of his free-hand drawing certainly tell us otherwise.
Whether it be the patterns of topiary gardens at the Royal Palace of Madrid or the stunning fallas in Valencia, Spain has proven to be a place of infinite inspiration and will continue to be as long as Michael Kivisto’s curious eyes are absorbing the wonders and translating them to paint.
Previous Artist: Sergio Garcia
Next Artist: Carlos Barberena de la Rocha
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